Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1701 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	Public Act 103-0494
2	1		SB1701 EnrolledLRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
3	2		SB1701 Enrolled LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
4		-	AN ACT concerning local government.
5		-	Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
6		-	represented in the General Assembly:
7		-	Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by changing
8		-	Section 6z-32 as follows:
9		-	(30 ILCS 105/6z-32)
10		-	Sec. 6z-32. Partners for Planning and Conservation.
11		-	(a) The Partners for Conservation Fund (formerly known as
12		-	the Conservation 2000 Fund) and the Partners for Conservation
13		-	Projects Fund (formerly known as the Conservation 2000
14		-	Projects Fund) are created as special funds in the State
15		-	Treasury. These funds shall be used to establish a
16		-	comprehensive program to protect Illinois' natural resources
17		-	through cooperative partnerships between State government and
18		-	public and private landowners. Moneys in these Funds may be
19		-	used, subject to appropriation, by the Department of Natural
20		-	Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department
21		-	of Agriculture for purposes relating to natural resource
22		-	protection, planning, recreation, tourism, climate resilience,
23		-	and compatible agricultural and economic development
24		-	activities. Without limiting these general purposes, moneys in
25		-	these Funds may be used, subject to appropriation, for the
26		-	following specific purposes:
	3	+	1 AN ACT concerning local government.
	4	+	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
	5	+	3 represented in the General Assembly:
	6	+	4 Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by changing
	7	+	5 Section 6z-32 as follows:
	8	+	6 (30 ILCS 105/6z-32)
	9	+	7 Sec. 6z-32. Partners for Planning and Conservation.
	10	+	8 (a) The Partners for Conservation Fund (formerly known as
	11	+	9 the Conservation 2000 Fund) and the Partners for Conservation
	12	+	10 Projects Fund (formerly known as the Conservation 2000
	13	+	11 Projects Fund) are created as special funds in the State
	14	+	12 Treasury. These funds shall be used to establish a
	15	+	13 comprehensive program to protect Illinois' natural resources
	16	+	14 through cooperative partnerships between State government and
	17	+	15 public and private landowners. Moneys in these Funds may be
	18	+	16 used, subject to appropriation, by the Department of Natural
	19	+	17 Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department
	20	+	18 of Agriculture for purposes relating to natural resource
	21	+	19 protection, planning, recreation, tourism, climate resilience,
	22	+	20 and compatible agricultural and economic development
	23	+	21 activities. Without limiting these general purposes, moneys in
	24	+	22 these Funds may be used, subject to appropriation, for the
	25	+	23 following specific purposes:
27	26
28	27
29	28
30	29		SB1701 Enrolled LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
31	30
32	31
33		-	(1) To foster sustainable agriculture practices and
34		-	control soil erosion, sedimentation, and nutrient loss
35		-	from farmland, including grants to Soil and Water
36		-	Conservation Districts for conservation practice
37		-	cost-share grants and for personnel, educational, and
38		-	administrative expenses.
39		-	(2) To establish and protect a system of ecosystems in
40		-	public and private ownership through conservation
41		-	easements, incentives to public and private landowners,
42		-	natural resource restoration and preservation, water
43		-	quality protection and improvement, land use and watershed
44		-	planning, technical assistance and grants, and land
45		-	acquisition provided these mechanisms are all voluntary on
46		-	the part of the landowner and do not involve the use of
47		-	eminent domain.
48		-	(3) To develop a systematic and long-term program to
49		-	effectively measure and monitor natural resources and
50		-	ecological conditions through investments in technology
51		-	and involvement of scientific experts.
52		-	(4) To initiate strategies to enhance, use, and
53		-	maintain Illinois' inland lakes through education,
54		-	technical assistance, research, and financial incentives.
55		-	(5) To partner with private landowners and with units
56		-	of State, federal, and local government and with
57		-	not-for-profit organizations in order to integrate State
58		-	and federal programs with Illinois' natural resource
59		-
60		-
61		-	protection and restoration efforts and to meet
62		-	requirements to obtain federal and other funds for
63		-	conservation or protection of natural resources.
64		-	(6) To support implement the State's Nutrient Loss
65		-	Reduction Strategy, including, but not limited to, funding
66		-	the resources needed to support the Strategy's Policy
67		-	Working Group, cover water quality monitoring in support
68		-	of Strategy implementation, prepare a biennial report on
69		-	the progress made on the Strategy every 2 years, and
70		-	provide cost share funding for nutrient capture projects.
71		-	(7) To provide capacity grants to support soil and
72		-	water conservation districts, including, but not limited
73		-	to, developing soil health plans, conducting soil health
74		-	assessments, peer-to-peer training, convening
75		-	producer-led dialogues, professional memberships, lab
76		-	analysis, and development and travel stipends for meetings
77		-	and educational events.
78		-	(8) To develop guidelines and local soil health
79		-	assessments for advancing soil health.
80		-	(b) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
81		-	automatically transfer on the last day of each month,
82		-	beginning on September 30, 1995 and ending on June 30, 2023,
83		-	from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation
84		-	Fund, an amount equal to 1/10 of the amount set forth below in
85		-	fiscal year 1996 and an amount equal to 1/12 of the amount set
86		-	forth below in each of the other specified fiscal years:
	32	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 2 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 2 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	33	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 2 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	34	+	1 (1) To foster sustainable agriculture practices and
	35	+	2 control soil erosion, sedimentation, and nutrient loss
	36	+	3 from farmland, including grants to Soil and Water
	37	+	4 Conservation Districts for conservation practice
	38	+	5 cost-share grants and for personnel, educational, and
	39	+	6 administrative expenses.
	40	+	7 (2) To establish and protect a system of ecosystems in
	41	+	8 public and private ownership through conservation
	42	+	9 easements, incentives to public and private landowners,
	43	+	10 natural resource restoration and preservation, water
	44	+	11 quality protection and improvement, land use and watershed
	45	+	12 planning, technical assistance and grants, and land
	46	+	13 acquisition provided these mechanisms are all voluntary on
	47	+	14 the part of the landowner and do not involve the use of
	48	+	15 eminent domain.
	49	+	16 (3) To develop a systematic and long-term program to
	50	+	17 effectively measure and monitor natural resources and
	51	+	18 ecological conditions through investments in technology
	52	+	19 and involvement of scientific experts.
	53	+	20 (4) To initiate strategies to enhance, use, and
	54	+	21 maintain Illinois' inland lakes through education,
	55	+	22 technical assistance, research, and financial incentives.
	56	+	23 (5) To partner with private landowners and with units
	57	+	24 of State, federal, and local government and with
	58	+	25 not-for-profit organizations in order to integrate State
	59	+	26 and federal programs with Illinois' natural resource
87	60
88	61
89	62
90	63
91		-	Fiscal Year Amount 1996 $ 3,500,000 1997 $ 9,000,000 1998 $10,000,000 1999 $11,000,000 2000 $12,500,000 2001 through 2004 $14,000,000 2005 $7,000,0002006 $11,000,000 2007 $0 2008 through 2011 $14,000,000 2012 $12,200,000 2013 through 2017 $14,000,0002018 $1,500,000 2019 $14,000,000 2020 $7,500,000 2021 through 2023 $14,000,000 Fiscal Year Amount 1996 $ 3,500,000 1997 $ 9,000,000 1998 $10,000,000 1999 $11,000,000 2000 $12,500,000 2001 through 2004 $14,000,000 2005 $7,000,000 2006 $11,000,000 2007 $0 2008 through 2011 $14,000,000 2012 $12,200,000 2013 through 2017 $14,000,000 2018 $1,500,000 2019 $14,000,000 2020 $7,500,000 2021 through 2023 $14,000,000
92		-	Fiscal Year Amount
93		-	1996 $ 3,500,000
94		-	1997 $ 9,000,000
95		-	1998 $10,000,000
96		-	1999 $11,000,000
97		-	2000 $12,500,000
98		-	2001 through 2004 $14,000,000
99		-	2005 $7,000,000
100		-	2006 $11,000,000
101		-	2007 $0
102		-	2008 through 2011 $14,000,000
103		-	2012 $12,200,000
104		-	2013 through 2017 $14,000,000
105		-	2018 $1,500,000
106		-	2019 $14,000,000
107		-	2020 $7,500,000
108		-	2021 through 2023 $14,000,000
109		-	(c) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
110		-	automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning
111		-	on July 31, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022, from the
112		-	Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the
113		-	Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of
114		-	$4,135,000.
115		-	(c-1) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
116		-	automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning
117		-	on July 31, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023, from the
118	64
119		-	Fiscal Year Amount
120		-	1996 $ 3,500,000
121		-	1997 $ 9,000,000
122		-	1998 $10,000,000
123		-	1999 $11,000,000
124		-	2000 $12,500,000
125		-	2001 through 2004 $14,000,000
126		-	2005 $7,000,000
127		-	2006 $11,000,000
128		-	2007 $0
129		-	2008 through 2011 $14,000,000
130		-	2012 $12,200,000
131		-	2013 through 2017 $14,000,000
132		-	2018 $1,500,000
133		-	2019 $14,000,000
134		-	2020 $7,500,000
135		-	2021 through 2023 $14,000,000
	65	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 2 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
136	66
137	67
138		-	Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the
139		-	Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of
140		-	$5,900,000.
141		-	(d) There shall be deposited into the Partners for
142		-	Conservation Projects Fund such bond proceeds and other moneys
143		-	as may, from time to time, be provided by law.
144		-	(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 102-16, eff. 6-17-21;
145		-	102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)
146		-	Section 15. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act
147		-	is amended by adding Sections 3.24, 3.25, 3.26, 3.27, 22.03a,
148		-	22.03b, 22.03c, and 22.03d as follows:
149		-	(70 ILCS 405/3.24 new)
150		-	Sec. 3.24. "Healthy soils practices" means systems of
151		-	agricultural, forestry, and land management practices that:
152		-	(1) improve the health of soils, including, but not
153		-	limited to, consideration of depth of topsoil horizons,
154		-	water infiltration rate, water-holding capacity, organic
155		-	matter content, biologically accessible nutrient content,
156		-	bulk density, biological activity, and biological and
157		-	microbiological diversity;
158		-	(2) follow the principles of: minimizing soil
159		-	disturbance and external inputs; keeping soil covered;
160		-	maximizing biodiversity; diversifying crop rotations;
161		-	maximizing presence of living roots; integrating animals
	68	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 3 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 3 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	69	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 3 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	70	+	1 protection and restoration efforts and to meet
	71	+	2 requirements to obtain federal and other funds for
	72	+	3 conservation or protection of natural resources.
	73	+	4 (6) To support implement the State's Nutrient Loss
	74	+	5 Reduction Strategy, including, but not limited to, funding
	75	+	6 the resources needed to support the Strategy's Policy
	76	+	7 Working Group, cover water quality monitoring in support
	77	+	8 of Strategy implementation, prepare a biennial report on
	78	+	9 the progress made on the Strategy every 2 years, and
	79	+	10 provide cost share funding for nutrient capture projects.
	80	+	11 (7) To provide capacity grants to support soil and
	81	+	12 water conservation districts, including, but not limited
	82	+	13 to, developing soil health plans, conducting soil health
	83	+	14 assessments, peer-to-peer training, convening
	84	+	15 producer-led dialogues, professional memberships, lab
	85	+	16 analysis, and development and travel stipends for meetings
	86	+	17 and educational events.
	87	+	18 (8) To develop guidelines and local soil health
	88	+	19 assessments for advancing soil health.
	89	+	20 (b) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
	90	+	21 automatically transfer on the last day of each month,
	91	+	22 beginning on September 30, 1995 and ending on June 30, 2023,
	92	+	23 from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation
	93	+	24 Fund, an amount equal to 1/10 of the amount set forth below in
	94	+	25 fiscal year 1996 and an amount equal to 1/12 of the amount set
	95	+	26 forth below in each of the other specified fiscal years:
162	96
163	97
164		-	and insects into land management, including grazing
165		-	animals, birds, beneficial insects, or keystone species,
166		-	such as earthworms; and incorporating the context of local
167		-	conditions in decision-making, including, for example,
168		-	soil type, topography, and time of year; and
169		-	(3) include practices such as conservation tillage or
170		-	no-till, cover-cropping, perennialization of highly
171		-	erodible land, precision nitrogen and phosphorus
172		-	application, managed grazing, integrated crop-livestock
173		-	systems, silvopasture, agroforestry, perennial crops,
174		-	integrated pest management, nutrient best management
175		-	practices, invasive species removal and the planting of
176		-	native species and those practices recommended by the
177		-	United States Department of Agriculture's Natural
178		-	Resources Conservation Service - Field Office Technical
179		-	Guide.
180		-	(70 ILCS 405/3.25 new)
181		-	Sec. 3.25. "Soil health assessment" means soil health
182		-	indicator measures, including, but not limited to, soil
183		-	organic matter, soil structure, infiltration and bulk density,
184		-	water-holding capacity, microbial biomass, and soil
185		-	respiration.
186		-	(70 ILCS 405/3.26 new)
187		-	Sec. 3.26. "Initiative" means the Illinois Healthy Soils
188	98
189	99
190		-	Initiative.
191		-	(70 ILCS 405/3.27 new)
192		-	Sec. 3.27. "Healthy soil" means the continuing capacity of
193		-	a soil to function as a vital, living biological system that
194		-	sustains plants, animals, and humans, increases soil organic
195		-	matter, improves soil structure and water-holding and
196		-	nutrient-holding capacity and nutrient cycling, enhances water
197		-	infiltration and filtration capability, promotes water
198		-	quality, and results in net long-term ecological benefits.
199		-	"Healthy soil" includes soil that hosts a diversity of
200		-	beneficial organisms, grow vigorous crops, enhance
201		-	agricultural resilience, including the ability of crops and
202		-	livestock to tolerate and recover from drought, temperature
203		-	extremes, extreme precipitation events, pests, diseases, and
204		-	other stresses, break down harmful chemicals, and help convert
205		-	organic residues into stable soil organic matter and retaining
206		-	nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.
207		-	(70 ILCS 405/22.03a new)
208		-	Sec. 22.03a. Illinois Healthy Soils Initiative.
209		-	(a) The Illinois Healthy Soils Initiative is created. It
210		-	is the purpose of the Initiative to improve the health of soils
211		-	through efforts that improve soil and water quality, increase
212		-	the resilience of ecosystems to extreme weather events,
213		-	protect and improve agricultural productivity, and support
	100	+
	101	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 3 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
214	102
215	103
216		-	aquatic and wildlife habitat.
217		-	Subject to appropriation, the Initiative shall be
218		-	administered by the Director of Agriculture with consultation
219		-	from soil and water conservation districts, the Illinois
220		-	Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Natural
221		-	Resources, and the University of Illinois Extension Program.
222		-	The Department shall create guidelines and guidance to assist
223		-	soil and water conservation districts in developing soil
224		-	health assessments in order to identify desired capacity and
225		-	funding levels and establish regular, measurable,
226		-	cost-effective, and technically achievable goals to advance
227		-	voluntary and incentive-based strategies that improve healthy
228		-	soils. These assessments shall be used to identify
229		-	opportunities to access financial and technical assistance
230		-	from local, State, and federal sources to guide resources to
231		-	their best potential use.
232		-	The Initiative shall complement and improve coordination
233		-	of existing resources and processes and shall not replace
234		-	existing, local, State, or federal funding or technical
235		-	assistance programs. The Department shall report on progress
236		-	of the Initiative annually.
237		-	The Initiative shall promote voluntary and incentive-based
238		-	soil health efforts. No part of this Section shall be used to
239		-	impose mandates or require practice adoption.
240		-	(70 ILCS 405/22.03b new)
241	104
242	105
243		-	Sec. 22.03b. Guidelines for soil health assessments. The
244		-	Department shall adopt and revise guidelines to assist soil
245		-	and water conservation districts in determining local goals
246		-	and needs for implementing soil health assessments.
247		-	In developing its guidelines to assist soil and water
248		-	conservation districts in determining local goals and needs
249		-	for soil health assessments, the Department shall consider:
250		-	(1) county and State levels of conservation practice
251		-	adoption. Guidance should also be provided to districts to
252		-	meet USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service determined
253		-	conservation practice standards or Illinois Urban Manual
254		-	Practice Standards;
255		-	(2) information regarding beginning, socially
256		-	disadvantaged, and veteran farmers and ranchers, as well
257		-	as disadvantaged communities;
258		-	(3) availability of State and federal financial and
259		-	technical assistance programs to soil and water
260		-	conservation districts, local governments, and
261		-	conservation partners; and
262		-	(4) opportunities for evaluating results-based
263		-	practices utilizing tools, such as the U.S. Department of
264		-	Agriculture's revised universal soil loss equation, that
265		-	model environmental outcomes at the field, county,
266		-	watershed, or State level.
267		-	The information collected through the development of the
268		-	guidelines shall be compiled and provided to the soil and
	106	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 4 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 4 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	107	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 4 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	108	+	1Fiscal Year Amount 21996 $ 3,500,000 31997 $ 9,000,000 41998 $10,000,000 51999 $11,000,000 62000 $12,500,000 72001 through 2004 $14,000,000 82005 $7,000,00092006 $11,000,000 102007 $0 112008 through 2011 $14,000,000 122012 $12,200,000 132013 through 2017 $14,000,000142018 $1,500,000 152019 $14,000,000 162020 $7,500,000 172021 through 2023 $14,000,000 1 Fiscal Year Amount 2 1996 $ 3,500,000 3 1997 $ 9,000,000 4 1998 $10,000,000 5 1999 $11,000,000 6 2000 $12,500,000 7 2001 through 2004 $14,000,000 8 2005 $7,000,000 9 2006 $11,000,000 10 2007 $0 11 2008 through 2011 $14,000,000 12 2012 $12,200,000 13 2013 through 2017 $14,000,000 14 2018 $1,500,000 15 2019 $14,000,000 16 2020 $7,500,000 17 2021 through 2023 $14,000,000
	109	+	1 Fiscal Year Amount
	110	+	2 1996 $ 3,500,000
	111	+	3 1997 $ 9,000,000
	112	+	4 1998 $10,000,000
	113	+	5 1999 $11,000,000
	114	+	6 2000 $12,500,000
	115	+	7 2001 through 2004 $14,000,000
	116	+	8 2005 $7,000,000
	117	+	9 2006 $11,000,000
	118	+	10 2007 $0
	119	+	11 2008 through 2011 $14,000,000
	120	+	12 2012 $12,200,000
	121	+	13 2013 through 2017 $14,000,000
	122	+	14 2018 $1,500,000
	123	+	15 2019 $14,000,000
	124	+	16 2020 $7,500,000
	125	+	17 2021 through 2023 $14,000,000
	126	+	18 (c) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
	127	+	19 automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning
	128	+	20 on July 31, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022, from the
	129	+	21 Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the
	130	+	22 Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of
	131	+	23 $4,135,000.
	132	+	24 (c-1) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
	133	+	25 automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning
	134	+	26 on July 31, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023, from the
269	135
270	136
271		-	water conservation districts to inform the development of
272		-	local soil health assessments.
273		-	Initial guidelines shall be completed and provided to soil
274		-	and water conservation districts annually and shall include
275		-	the grant agreement for the Soil and Water Conservation
276		-	District Grants Program as well as outlining the funding
277		-	resource support contained within the grant agreement to
278		-	better inform the development of local soil health
279		-	assessments.
280		-	(70 ILCS 405/22.03c new)
281		-	Sec. 22.03c. Local soil health assessments. Upon the
282		-	adoption of guidelines described in Section 22.03b, each soil
283		-	and water conservation district shall develop annually its own
284		-	soil health assessment to guide voluntary and incentive-based
285		-	strategies to improve soil health. The soil health assessment
286		-	shall be technically feasible and economically reasonable.
287		-	The Department shall provide a template to the districts
288		-	for the local soil health assessment, including the required
289		-	information listed in this Section as well as information
290		-	regarding available data and support materials collected as
291		-	the guidance information listed in Section 25.
292		-	Each district is encouraged to collaborate with other
293		-	local governmental entities and local stakeholders in
294		-	developing and implementing its soil health assessment. Each
295		-	district shall use the guidelines provided by the Department
296	137
297	138
298		-	in developing its soil health assessment.
299		-	Upon the request of a district, the Department may assist
300		-	in the preparation of the district's soil health assessment.
301		-	Districts may also work collaboratively to establish joint
302		-	plans to leverage existing capacity and resources most
303		-	effectively.
304		-	To carry out its assessment, a district shall identify
305		-	soil health practices. The soil health assessment must
306		-	consider opportunities to access, leverage, and use State and
307		-	federal resources within a specific soil and water
308		-	conservation district service area.
309		-	Soil and water conservation districts may also convene
310		-	producer-led dialogues to identify special initiatives or
311		-	pilot projects to leverage additional resources and implement
312		-	soil health practices at scale across multiple operations and
313		-	land ownerships.
314		-	In developing a soil health assessment, the soil and water
315		-	conservation district shall:
316		-	(1) evaluate existing assets, such as current
317		-	practices, current cropping systems, crop processing and
318		-	market infrastructure, riparian buffers, wetlands, public
319		-	lands, funding, education, research and peer-to-peer
320		-	training opportunities, and existing partnerships;
321		-	(2) consider the eligible funding categories available
322		-	through the Partners for Conservation Fund and the
323		-	district's ability to advance healthy soils practices
	139	+
	140	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 4 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	141	+
	142	+	1 Fiscal Year Amount
	143	+	2 1996 $ 3,500,000
	144	+	3 1997 $ 9,000,000
	145	+	4 1998 $10,000,000
	146	+	5 1999 $11,000,000
	147	+	6 2000 $12,500,000
	148	+	7 2001 through 2004 $14,000,000
	149	+	8 2005 $7,000,000
	150	+	9 2006 $11,000,000
	151	+	10 2007 $0
	152	+	11 2008 through 2011 $14,000,000
	153	+	12 2012 $12,200,000
	154	+	13 2013 through 2017 $14,000,000
	155	+	14 2018 $1,500,000
	156	+	15 2019 $14,000,000
	157	+	16 2020 $7,500,000
	158	+	17 2021 through 2023 $14,000,000
324	159
325	160
326		-	~~consistent with Natural Resource Conservation Service soil~~
327		-	~~health principles within a soil and water conservation~~
328		-	~~district service area;~~
329		-	~~(3) determine vulnerabilities~~, ~~such as runoff risk,~~
330		-	~~riparian function~~, ~~stormwater~~, ~~floodplains and stream~~
331		-	~~impairments, and observed and predicted impacts from~~
332		-	~~climate change,~~ ~~especially to socially disadvantaged~~
333		-	~~farmers~~, ~~ranchers~~, ~~and communities;~~
334		-	(~~4) identify opportunities to conduct outreach to~~
335		-	~~agricultural producers and landowners and to develop~~
336		-	~~individual~~ soil ~~health plans;~~
337		-	~~(5) establish goals for achieving measurable outcomes~~
338		-	~~for soil health~~ and ~~farmer viability through voluntary and~~
339		-	~~incentive-based activities~~. ~~This includes identifying~~
340		-	~~opportunities to support beginning,~~ ~~socially~~
341		-	~~disadvantaged~~, and ~~veteran farmers as well as small and~~
342		-	~~mid-scale farmers;~~
343		-	~~(6) estimate 2-year~~ ~~funding levels needed from State~~,
344		-	~~federal and private sources in order to achieve goals; and~~
345		-	~~(7) identify opportunities to develop partnerships and~~
346		-	~~leverage resources from local governments~~, ~~utilities~~, and
347		-	~~State and federal agencies.~~
348		-	The ~~Department shall identify shared goals and priorities~~
349		-	~~between districts~~ and ~~shall assist in developing partnerships~~
350		-	~~and shared funding approaches to maximize capacity and~~
351		-	~~resources. Initial soil health assessments shall be submitted~~
	161	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 5 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 5 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	162	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 5 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	163	+	1 Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the
	164	+	2 Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of
	165	+	3 $5,900,000.
	166	+	4 (d) There shall be deposited into the Partners for
	167	+	5 Conservation Projects Fund such bond proceeds and other moneys
	168	+	6 as may, from time to time, be provided by law.
	169	+	7 (Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 102-16, eff. 6-17-21;
	170	+	8 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)
	171	+	9 Section 15. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act
	172	+	10 is amended by adding Sections 3.24, 3.25, 3.26, 3.27, 22.03a,
	173	+	11 22.03b, 22.03c, and 22.03d as follows:
	174	+	12 (70 ILCS 405/3.24 new)
	175	+	13 Sec. 3.24. "Healthy soils practices" means systems of
	176	+	14 agricultural, forestry, and land management practices that:
	177	+	15 (1) improve the health of soils, including, but not
	178	+	16 limited to, consideration of depth of topsoil horizons,
	179	+	17 water infiltration rate, water-holding capacity, organic
	180	+	18 matter content, biologically accessible nutrient content,
	181	+	19 bulk density, biological activity, and biological and
	182	+	20 microbiological diversity;
	183	+	21 (2) follow the principles of: minimizing soil
	184	+	22 disturbance and external inputs; keeping soil covered;
	185	+	23 maximizing biodiversity; diversifying crop rotations;
	186	+	24 maximizing presence of living roots; integrating animals
352	187
353	188
354		-	to the Department by September 1, 2024.
355		-	(70 ILCS 405/22.03d new)
356		-	Sec. 22.03d. Compliance and standards; cost sharing. To be
357		-	eligible to receive State cost-share support after September
358		-	1, 2024, soil and water conservation districts shall have an
359		-	updated soil health assessment.
360		-	The Department shall update its rules and procedures for
361		-	cost-share funding to be inclusive of all relevant soil health
362		-	practices promoting the rapid adoption of cost-effective and
363		-	technically feasible projects. Updates to the rules and
364		-	procedures for State cost-share programs shall also address
365		-	barriers to access experienced by beginning, socially
366		-	disadvantaged, and veteran farmers.
367		-	The Department may require results-based practices or the
368		-	assessments of the environmental outcomes of projects, at the
369		-	field or county level, as a condition of cost-share funding.
370		-	Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
371		-	becoming law.
	189	+
	190	+
	191	+
	192	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 5 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	193	+
	194	+
	195	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 6 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 6 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	196	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 6 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	197	+	1 and insects into land management, including grazing
	198	+	2 animals, birds, beneficial insects, or keystone species,
	199	+	3 such as earthworms; and incorporating the context of local
	200	+	4 conditions in decision-making, including, for example,
	201	+	5 soil type, topography, and time of year; and
	202	+	6 (3) include practices such as conservation tillage or
	203	+	7 no-till, cover-cropping, perennialization of highly
	204	+	8 erodible land, precision nitrogen and phosphorus
	205	+	9 application, managed grazing, integrated crop-livestock
	206	+	10 systems, silvopasture, agroforestry, perennial crops,
	207	+	11 integrated pest management, nutrient best management
	208	+	12 practices, invasive species removal and the planting of
	209	+	13 native species and those practices recommended by the
	210	+	14 United States Department of Agriculture's Natural
	211	+	15 Resources Conservation Service - Field Office Technical
	212	+	16 Guide.
	213	+	17 (70 ILCS 405/3.25 new)
	214	+	18 Sec. 3.25. "Soil health assessment" means soil health
	215	+	19 indicator measures, including, but not limited to, soil
	216	+	20 organic matter, soil structure, infiltration and bulk density,
	217	+	21 water-holding capacity, microbial biomass, and soil
	218	+	22 respiration.
	219	+	23 (70 ILCS 405/3.26 new)
	220	+	24 Sec. 3.26. "Initiative" means the Illinois Healthy Soils
	221	+
	222	+
	223	+
	224	+
	225	+
	226	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 6 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	227	+
	228	+
	229	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 7 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 7 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	230	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 7 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	231	+	1 Initiative.
	232	+	2 (70 ILCS 405/3.27 new)
	233	+	3 Sec. 3.27. "Healthy soil" means the continuing capacity of
	234	+	4 a soil to function as a vital, living biological system that
	235	+	5 sustains plants, animals, and humans, increases soil organic
	236	+	6 matter, improves soil structure and water-holding and
	237	+	7 nutrient-holding capacity and nutrient cycling, enhances water
	238	+	8 infiltration and filtration capability, promotes water
	239	+	9 quality, and results in net long-term ecological benefits.
	240	+	10 "Healthy soil" includes soil that hosts a diversity of
	241	+	11 beneficial organisms, grow vigorous crops, enhance
	242	+	12 agricultural resilience, including the ability of crops and
	243	+	13 livestock to tolerate and recover from drought, temperature
	244	+	14 extremes, extreme precipitation events, pests, diseases, and
	245	+	15 other stresses, break down harmful chemicals, and help convert
	246	+	16 organic residues into stable soil organic matter and retaining
	247	+	17 nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.
	248	+	18 (70 ILCS 405/22.03a new)
	249	+	19 Sec. 22.03a. Illinois Healthy Soils Initiative.
	250	+	20 (a) The Illinois Healthy Soils Initiative is created. It
	251	+	21 is the purpose of the Initiative to improve the health of soils
	252	+	22 through efforts that improve soil and water quality, increase
	253	+	23 the resilience of ecosystems to extreme weather events,
	254	+	24 protect and improve agricultural productivity, and support
	255	+
	256	+
	257	+
	258	+
	259	+
	260	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 7 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	261	+
	262	+
	263	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 8 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 8 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	264	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 8 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	265	+	1 aquatic and wildlife habitat.
	266	+	2 Subject to appropriation, the Initiative shall be
	267	+	3 administered by the Director of Agriculture with consultation
	268	+	4 from soil and water conservation districts, the Illinois
	269	+	5 Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Natural
	270	+	6 Resources, and the University of Illinois Extension Program.
	271	+	7 The Department shall create guidelines and guidance to assist
	272	+	8 soil and water conservation districts in developing soil
	273	+	9 health assessments in order to identify desired capacity and
	274	+	10 funding levels and establish regular, measurable,
	275	+	11 cost-effective, and technically achievable goals to advance
	276	+	12 voluntary and incentive-based strategies that improve healthy
	277	+	13 soils. These assessments shall be used to identify
	278	+	14 opportunities to access financial and technical assistance
	279	+	15 from local, State, and federal sources to guide resources to
	280	+	16 their best potential use.
	281	+	17 The Initiative shall complement and improve coordination
	282	+	18 of existing resources and processes and shall not replace
	283	+	19 existing, local, State, or federal funding or technical
	284	+	20 assistance programs. The Department shall report on progress
	285	+	21 of the Initiative annually.
	286	+	22 The Initiative shall promote voluntary and incentive-based
	287	+	23 soil health efforts. No part of this Section shall be used to
	288	+	24 impose mandates or require practice adoption.
	289	+	25 (70 ILCS 405/22.03b new)
	290	+
	291	+
	292	+
	293	+
	294	+
	295	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 8 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	296	+
	297	+
	298	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 9 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 9 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	299	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 9 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	300	+	1 Sec. 22.03b. Guidelines for soil health assessments. The
	301	+	2 Department shall adopt and revise guidelines to assist soil
	302	+	3 and water conservation districts in determining local goals
	303	+	4 and needs for implementing soil health assessments.
	304	+	5 In developing its guidelines to assist soil and water
	305	+	6 conservation districts in determining local goals and needs
	306	+	7 for soil health assessments, the Department shall consider:
	307	+	8 (1) county and State levels of conservation practice
	308	+	9 adoption. Guidance should also be provided to districts to
	309	+	10 meet USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service determined
	310	+	11 conservation practice standards or Illinois Urban Manual
	311	+	12 Practice Standards;
	312	+	13 (2) information regarding beginning, socially
	313	+	14 disadvantaged, and veteran farmers and ranchers, as well
	314	+	15 as disadvantaged communities;
	315	+	16 (3) availability of State and federal financial and
	316	+	17 technical assistance programs to soil and water
	317	+	18 conservation districts, local governments, and
	318	+	19 conservation partners; and
	319	+	20 (4) opportunities for evaluating results-based
	320	+	21 practices utilizing tools, such as the U.S. Department of
	321	+	22 Agriculture's revised universal soil loss equation, that
	322	+	23 model environmental outcomes at the field, county,
	323	+	24 watershed, or State level.
	324	+	25 The information collected through the development of the
	325	+	26 guidelines shall be compiled and provided to the soil and
	326	+
	327	+
	328	+
	329	+
	330	+
	331	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 9 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	332	+
	333	+
	334	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 10 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 10 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	335	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 10 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	336	+	1 water conservation districts to inform the development of
	337	+	2 local soil health assessments.
	338	+	3 Initial guidelines shall be completed and provided to soil
	339	+	4 and water conservation districts annually and shall include
	340	+	5 the grant agreement for the Soil and Water Conservation
	341	+	6 District Grants Program as well as outlining the funding
	342	+	7 resource support contained within the grant agreement to
	343	+	8 better inform the development of local soil health
	344	+	9 assessments.
	345	+	10 (70 ILCS 405/22.03c new)
	346	+	11 Sec. 22.03c. Local soil health assessments. Upon the
	347	+	12 adoption of guidelines described in Section 22.03b, each soil
	348	+	13 and water conservation district shall develop annually its own
	349	+	14 soil health assessment to guide voluntary and incentive-based
	350	+	15 strategies to improve soil health. The soil health assessment
	351	+	16 shall be technically feasible and economically reasonable.
	352	+	17 The Department shall provide a template to the districts
	353	+	18 for the local soil health assessment, including the required
	354	+	19 information listed in this Section as well as information
	355	+	20 regarding available data and support materials collected as
	356	+	21 the guidance information listed in Section 25.
	357	+	22 Each district is encouraged to collaborate with other
	358	+	23 local governmental entities and local stakeholders in
	359	+	24 developing and implementing its soil health assessment. Each
	360	+	25 district shall use the guidelines provided by the Department
	361	+
	362	+
	363	+
	364	+
	365	+
	366	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 10 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	367	+
	368	+
	369	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 11 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 11 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	370	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 11 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	371	+	1 in developing its soil health assessment.
	372	+	2 Upon the request of a district, the Department may assist
	373	+	3 in the preparation of the district's soil health assessment.
	374	+	4 Districts may also work collaboratively to establish joint
	375	+	5 plans to leverage existing capacity and resources most
	376	+	6 effectively.
	377	+	7 To carry out its assessment, a district shall identify
	378	+	8 soil health practices. The soil health assessment must
	379	+	9 consider opportunities to access, leverage, and use State and
	380	+	10 federal resources within a specific soil and water
	381	+	11 conservation district service area.
	382	+	12 Soil and water conservation districts may also convene
	383	+	13 producer-led dialogues to identify special initiatives or
	384	+	14 pilot projects to leverage additional resources and implement
	385	+	15 soil health practices at scale across multiple operations and
	386	+	16 land ownerships.
	387	+	17 In developing a soil health assessment, the soil and water
	388	+	18 conservation district shall:
	389	+	19 (1) evaluate existing assets, such as current
	390	+	20 practices, current cropping systems, crop processing and
	391	+	21 market infrastructure, riparian buffers, wetlands, public
	392	+	22 lands, funding, education, research and peer-to-peer
	393	+	23 training opportunities, and existing partnerships;
	394	+	24 (2) consider the eligible funding categories available
	395	+	25 through the Partners for Conservation Fund and the
	396	+	26 district's ability to advance healthy soils practices
	397	+
	398	+
	399	+
	400	+
	401	+
	402	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 11 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	403	+
	404	+
	405	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 12 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 12 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	406	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 12 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	407	+	1 consistent with Natural Resource Conservation Service soil
	408	+	2 health principles within a soil and water conservation
	409	+	3 district service area;
	410	+	4 (3) determine vulnerabilities, such as runoff risk,
	411	+	5 riparian function, stormwater, floodplains and stream
	412	+	6 impairments, and observed and predicted impacts from
	413	+	7 climate change, especially to socially disadvantaged
	414	+	8 farmers, ranchers, and communities;
	415	+	9 (4) identify opportunities to conduct outreach to
	416	+	10 agricultural producers and landowners and to develop
	417	+	11 individual soil health plans;
	418	+	12 (5) establish goals for achieving measurable outcomes
	419	+	13 for soil health and farmer viability through voluntary and
	420	+	14 incentive-based activities. This includes identifying
	421	+	15 opportunities to support beginning, socially
	422	+	16 disadvantaged, and veteran farmers as well as small and
	423	+	17 mid-scale farmers;
	424	+	18 (6) estimate 2-year funding levels needed from State,
	425	+	19 federal and private sources in order to achieve goals; and
	426	+	20 (7) identify opportunities to develop partnerships and
	427	+	21 leverage resources from local governments, utilities, and
	428	+	22 State and federal agencies.
	429	+	23 The Department shall identify shared goals and priorities
	430	+	24 between districts and shall assist in developing partnerships
	431	+	25 and shared funding approaches to maximize capacity and
	432	+	26 resources. Initial soil health assessments shall be submitted
	433	+
	434	+
	435	+
	436	+
	437	+
	438	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 12 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	439	+
	440	+
	441	+	SB1701 Enrolled- 13 -LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b SB1701 Enrolled - 13 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	442	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 13 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b
	443	+	1 to the Department by September 1, 2024.
	444	+	2 (70 ILCS 405/22.03d new)
	445	+	3 Sec. 22.03d. Compliance and standards; cost sharing. To be
	446	+	4 eligible to receive State cost-share support after September
	447	+	5 1, 2024, soil and water conservation districts shall have an
	448	+	6 updated soil health assessment.
	449	+	7 The Department shall update its rules and procedures for
	450	+	8 cost-share funding to be inclusive of all relevant soil health
	451	+	9 practices promoting the rapid adoption of cost-effective and
	452	+	10 technically feasible projects. Updates to the rules and
	453	+	11 procedures for State cost-share programs shall also address
	454	+	12 barriers to access experienced by beginning, socially
	455	+	13 disadvantaged, and veteran farmers.
	456	+	14 The Department may require results-based practices or the
	457	+	15 assessments of the environmental outcomes of projects, at the
	458	+	16 field or county level, as a condition of cost-share funding.
	459	+	17 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
	460	+	18 becoming law.
	461	+
	462	+
	463	+
	464	+
	465	+
	466	+	SB1701 Enrolled - 13 - LRB103 29043 AWJ 55429 b