Simply put, Illinois cannot meet its water quality targets without new investment in conservation practices. The state must act now to get back on track with the goals of the state’s Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) and protect public health, the state’s agricultural sector and the environment.
SB 3471 is the first step that is needed. The bill creates the Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act which would establish the Healthy Soils and Watersheds Initiative to direct resources to where they are most needed locally. SB 3471 also makes key program upgrades so the state can build resilience to impacts from climate change while also protecting critical funding programs, like the Partners for Conservation Fund which funds Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), so that Illinois can continue to protect clean water and healthy soil.
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