Bill > SB1879

This bill creates the Natural Resources and Agricultural Legacy Act, which establishes a special fund in the state treasury managed by the Department of Natural Resources to support conservation efforts in Illinois. The bill aims to preserve open space and farmland by providing grants to qualified easement holders for purchasing conservation easements, covering acquisition costs, and funding ecological management activities. The legislation prioritizes preventing farmland fragmentation, supporting historically underserved farmers, protecting biodiversity, and leveraging additional funding sources. A new Legacy Act Technical Advisory Committee will be formed to provide recommendations on grant programs, composed of representatives from agriculture, conservation, education, and land use planning. The fund will be financed through appropriations, bond proceeds, and donated assets, with strict guidelines limiting administrative costs to 10% of annual appropriations and ensuring no more than 40% of grant dollars go to the Department itself. Notably, the bill sets an annual cap on conservation easement purchases at the fair market value of 2,500 acres and establishes a scoring process that remains unbiased between farmland and open space conservation efforts. The legislation repeals the previous Local Legacy Act and aims to incentivize voluntary conservation of at-risk lands while enhancing environmental and agricultural preservation in Illinois.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1879&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104