[BCNnet] Great News on NAAF and OSLAD

[Donald R. Dann]

BCNnet friends:

Hard work pays off as we prevailed on these environmentally crucial issues!

The following is from Dave Klem, the lobbyist hired by Partners for Parks
and Wildlife, the coalition formed and led by the Illinois Environmental
Council to fight the Governor's goal of sweeping away the dedicated funding
from the Open Space Land Acquisition Fund (OSLA) and Natural Areas
Acquisition Fund (NAAF).

Everyone who contacted their legislators should be thanked for their
efforts.  Republican leadership in the Senate and House together with the
Democratic House leader insisted that these programs were non-negotiable.
Thus 3 of the 5 budget negotiators hung tough on this. Individual prominent
legislators like Republican Beth Coulson, Democrats Karen May and Susan
Garrett, and many other House and Senate members were also very strong on
this issue.

Thanks again to everyone who met with their legislators as well as those
that made the calls and sent the emails and faxes.  Congratulations to all
of us - birds will definitely be the better for it!

Donnie

Donald R. Dann
President
Bird Conservation Network
Ph/Fx: 847-266-2222
Cell: 847-997-1011
Email: donniebird@yahoo.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Kelm [mailto:davekelm@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 8:29 PM
To: Jonathan Goldman; pmurphy@ilparks.org; cemken@tnc.org;
jokeefe@openlands.org; randspariec@aol.com;
dshore@chicagowilderness.org; jschmitt@dupageforest.com; Jack Ward,
IFOR; joannaw@afscmeillinois.org; Kappy Laing; Jennifer Sublett;
jack.darin@sierraclub.org
Subject: Adjournment


The General Assembly adjourned a few minutes ago.  The budget passed
included everything we spoke about yesterday - the money and no sweeps!!!

Below is the language pulled from the PDF of House Amendment #1.  I'm sure
I've missed some things but these are the big chucks.  Ignore the random
numbers - those are line numbers from the legislation.

Section 65.  The following named sums, new 14  appropriations, or so much
thereof as may be necessary, 15  respectively, for the objects and purposes
hereinafter named, 16  are appropriated to the Department of Natural
Resources: 17  Payable from Natural Areas Acquisition Fund: 18   For the
acquisition, preservation and 19     stewardship of natural areas, including
habitats 20     for endangered and threatened species, high 21     quality
natural communities, wetlands 22     and other areas with unique or unusual
23     natural heritage qualities.......................4,500,000

24      Section 70.  The sum of $20,000,000, or so much thereof 25  as may
be necessary, is appropriated from the Open Space 26  Lands Acquisition and
Development Fund to the Department of 27  Natural Resources for expenses
connected with and to make 28  grants to local governments as provided in
the "Open Space 29  Lands Acquisition and Development Act".

For expenses of the OSLAD Program:  Payable from Open Space Lands
Acquisition 30     and Development
Fund.............................1,054,800 31

Section 80.  The sum of $31,326,700, or so much thereof as may be necessary
and remains unexpended at the close of 22  business on June 30, 2004, from
appropriations heretofore 23  made in Article 1, Section 115, page 29, line
30 of Public 24  Act 93-97, and Article 6, Section 1285 of Public Act
93-587, 25  as amended, is reappropriated from the Capital Development 26
Fund to the Department of Natural Resources to acquire, 27  protect and
preserve open space and natural lands.2

Section 145.  The following named sums, or so much thereof as may be
necessary, respectively, and as remains 30 unexpended at the close of
business on June 30, 2004, from appropriations heretofore made for such
purposes, are 2  reappropriated to the Department of Natural Resources for
the 3  objects and purposes set forth below: 4  Payable from Natural Areas
Acquisition Fund: 5    (From Article 1, Section 6    150 on page 36, lines
11-16, of Public 7    Act 93-97, as amended) 8   For the acquisition,
preservation and 9     stewardship of natural areas, 10     including
habitats for endangered and 11     threatened species, high quality natural
12     communities, wetlands and other areas 13     with unique or unusual
natural 14     heritage qualities...............................3,665,400

15  Payable from Natural Areas Acquisition Fund: 16  (From Article 1,
Section 145 on 17    page 34, lines 26-33, of Public 18    Act 93-97, as
amended) 19  For the acquisition, preservation and 20     stewardship of
natural areas, 21     including habitats for endangered and 22  threatened
species, high quality natural    communities, wetlands and other areas 24
with unique or unusual natural 25     heritage
qualities...............................2,896,200

26      Section 150.  The sum of $20,000,000, or so much thereof 27  as may
be necessary and as remains unexpended at the close of 28  business on June
30, 2004, from appropriations heretofore 29  made in Article 1, Section 225,
page 45, line 4 of Public Act 30  93-97, as amended, is reappropriated from
the Open Space 31  Lands Acquisition and Development Fund to the Department
of 32  Natural Resources for expenses connected with and to make33
grants to local governments as provided in the "Open Space 1  Lands
Acquisition and Development Act".

2      Section 155.  The sum of $41,813,300, or so much thereof 3  as may be
necessary and as remains unexpended at the close of 4  business on June 30,
2004, from appropriations heretofore 5  made in Article 1, Section 225, page
45, line 5 of Public Act 6  93-97, as amended, is reappropriated from the
Open Space 7  Lands Acquisition and Development Fund to the Department of 8
Natural Resources for expenses connected with and to make 9  grants to local
governments as provided in the "Open Space 10  Lands Acquisition and
Development Act". 11

Section 405.  The sum of $5,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary
and remains unexpended at the close of 7  business on June 30, 2004, from
appropriations heretofore 8  made in Article 1, Section 115, page 29, line
29 of Public 9  Act 93-97, and Article 6, Section 1285 of Public Act 93-587,
10  as amended, is reappropriated from the Capital Development 11  Fund to
the Department of Natural Resources to acquire, 12  protect and preserve
open space and natural lands. 13

For expenses of the Natural Areas Acquisition 3   Program: 4   Payable from
the Natural Areas 5     Acquisition
Fund...................................148,300

OFFICE OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Payable from Natural Areas Acquisition
Fund.............................................1,426,000