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Attempted Raid on Open Space Funds Foiled Again

This spring, the State of Illinois made yet another attempt to raid money from dedicated open space funds. This year, the threat was to take $25 million from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Fund (OSLAD) and the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (NAAF). Thanks to an outpouring of support for these programs, $20 million was preserved, while the new appropriation was increased by $13 million over last year's levels.

One of the top environmental issues the Illinois General Assembly addressed this year was mercury contamination. In January, Governor Blagojevich proposed rules that would require coal plants to reduce their mercury emissions by 90 percent. For the past three years, legislators and advocates have been working to require the removal of switches that contained mercury from vehicles before they are scrapped, with auto manufacturers paying for the cost of the program. This year the Mercury Switch Recovery Act passed and was signed by the governor on Earth Day. Another bill also passed, urging retail stores selling fresh fish in Illinois to post a notice about the dangers of mercury.

Pollution from diesel engines will be curbed as a result of a bill that will require stationary diesel vehicles, such as school buses, to limit the amount of time they spend idling their engines. Diesel vehicles in the Chicago and Metro East areas will have to limit idling to 10 minutes per hour.

TheAlso of note: For the first time, Illinois has a legislative Environmental Caucus. In February, a group of pro-environmental legislators announced the creation of a bipartisan and bicameral caucus with about 25 founding members. The co-chairs are Representatives Karen May and Dave Winters and Senators Pam Althoff and Mattie Hunter. The caucus will discuss issues and legislation, seek to take caucus positions on individual bills, and establish priorities on legislation.

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Attempted Raid on Open Space Funds Foiled Again

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