Illinois Administrative Code › Title 2 - GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION › Part 700 - ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, DESCRIPTION, RULEMAKING PROCEDURE, AND PROGRAMS › Subpart A - DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › Section 700.70 - Division of Natural Resources

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a)
				The Division of Natural Resources is separated into three bureaus:
1) The Bureau of Environmental Programs
				regularly surveys for infestations of plant pests and plant diseases and
				establishes quarantines, cooperates with county weed commissioners to institute
				weed control programs, inspects and licenses nurseries, inspects horticulture
				to insure plant health and control diseases, and registers economic poisons.
				The Departments of Agriculture and Public Health, each in its jurisdictional
				area, license and certify persons in Illinois who handle and apply pesticides.
				Custom public pesticide applicators are certified and/or licensed, and the
				pesticide program is administered in accordance with State Federal statutory
				authority and the Illinois State Plan for Certification of Pesticide
				Applicators as approved by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. The
				Bureau administers the agrichemical facility containment and groundwater
				program and provides pesticide laboratory services in support of these and
				other bureau administered programs.
2) The Bureau of Farmland Protection is
				responsible for administering the State of Illinois' Farmland Protection
				Program and the Department's Mined Lands Reclamation Program. The Bureau
				analyzes proposed state capital development projects for compliance with the
				Farmland Preservation Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 5, par. 1301 et seq.) to
				protect Illinois' finite agricultural land base from unnecessary conversion and
				degradation. In accordance with the Act, the named ten state agencies were
				required to adopt agricultural land preservation policies and should plan and
				implement their projects in a manner which will generate the least amount of
				adverse impacts upon Illinois' agricultural environment. The Bureau conducts
				public informational meetings to inform the general public of the importance of
				farmland protection and provides technical assistance to landowners and local
				units of government in the formation of farmland protection programs at the
				local level. Additionally, the Bureau works jointly with the Illinois
				Department of Mines and Minerals in the implementation of the State's Surface
				Mine Reclamation Program. Pursuant to an interagency agreement, the Bureau
				reviews mining permit applications and performs on-site mine inspections to
				monitor reclamation success. The Bureau assists Mines and Minerals in
				developing soil restoration standards and formulated the Agricultural Lands
				Productivity Formula to determine if in fact reclaimed prime farmland has been
				restored to premining capabilities. The Bureau samples field crops on reclaimed
				land to ascertain productivity levels for bond release.
3) The Bureau of Soil Conservation has
				responsibility for all State soil erosion control program activities and
				provides education, technical and financial assistance to the 98 Illinois Soil
				and Water Conservation Districts. The major activities for the State's soil
				erosion programs involves: coordinating a State Erosion and Sediment Control
				Program, administering a soil conservation cost-share program, administering
				grants to Districts for office operations and staff salaries, providing public
				presentations on benefits of soil conservation, assisting private and public
				organizations and agencies in the development of soil erosion and water quality
				programs, working with the United States Soil Conservation Service and various
				state and federal agencies in developing and implementing effective land
				treatment programs to protect existing soil and water resources, and
				representing the State in all matters arising from the provisions of the Soil
				and Water Conservation Districts Act.
A)
				Providing assistance to the 98 Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts
				involves: assisting the district directors in carrying out their duties and
				programs; providing guidance to districts in the management of district
				personnel; evaluating districts' proposed budgets and special project
				proposals; providing training sessions and exchanges of ideas between
				districts; establishing rules and procedures for district referendums and
				hearings; supervising district director elections; and considering, reviewing,
				and expressing opinions on any rules, regulations, ordinances, or other actions
				of district directors.
B) In
				addition to soil and water conservation programs, the Bureau administers the
				Water Use Act of 1983, the modern soil survey program, and the Sustainable
				Agriculture program. The Water Use Act of 1983 authorizes the Department to
				better manage and, in four counties, restrict groundwater withdrawals. The
				modern soil survey program is a state, federal and local cost-share program for
				mapping of all soils of the state by county. The Sustainable Agriculture
				program encourages practices that result in environmentally safe and profitable
				agricultural production.