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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, It is public policy of the State of Illinois to 
3provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of 
4this and future generations; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, It is the duty of the Illinois General Assembly to 
6implement and enforce this constitutionally mandated right of 
7the citizens of Illinois to a healthful environment; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, The citizens of Illinois need clean waterways as a 
9source of drinking water, for agricultural and industrial uses, 
10as a healthful habitat for aquatic species, and for the 
11enjoyment of recreational activities, including fishing, 
12swimming, paddling, and boating; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Excessive levels of nutrients are degrading the 
14quality of streams, rivers, and lakes within the State of 
15Illinois and contributing to the dead zone in the Gulf of 
16Mexico; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, The 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan called on the 
18State of Illinois to produce a plan to reduce the amount of 
19phosphorus and nitrogen carried in rivers throughout the State 
20and to the Gulf of Mexico; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, The State's Environmental Protection Agency and 
2Department of Agriculture collaborated with a Policy Working 
3Group of academia, environmental non-profits, representatives 
4of federal, state, and local agencies, wastewater treatment 
5professionals, and the agricultural community to develop the 
6Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy in 2015; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, The Strategy's Policy Working Group released its 
8first biennial report on the implementation of the Strategy in 
92017, documenting the substantial financial and staff resource 
10efforts to educate all citizens of Illinois about nutrient 
11loss, including through in-person meetings, workshops, and 
12field days, as well as communication platforms to reach all 
13stakeholders in Illinois; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, The Strategy's biennial report also documented 
15significant collaborative efforts to implement the Strategy, 
16including through impressive resource investments in research, 
17the installation of agricultural conservation practices across 
18the State, and adoption of new technology to reduce nutrient 
19levels in our waterways from wastewater discharges and runoff 
20from agricultural and urban lands; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, The Strategy's biennial report found a ten percent 
22reduction in nitrogen loads, but a 17 percent increase in 
23phosphorus loads; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, The Strategy sets a milestone to reduce nitrogen 
2loads by 15 percent and phosphorus loads by 25 percent by 2025 
3from baseline levels (1980-1996); and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, The Strategy's goal is to reduce both nitrogen and 
5phosphorus loads by 45 percent by 2035; therefore, be it
  
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL 
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the Nutrient 
8Loss Reduction Strategy and the work of stakeholders on the 
9continued implementation of the Strategy as the State of 
10Illinois and its citizens move forward in this important 
11effort; and be it further
  
 
12    RESOLVED, That we encourage the agencies and their partners 
13in implementing the Strategy to regularly communicate with the 
14General Assembly and seek their support on activities and 
15long-term programs that would help further their work and 
16attain the Strategy's goals.