Legislation advanced to immediately sweep funding important to the environmental community
SB274 Amendment #1 takes funding from numerous dedicated funds, including but not limited to:
- $37 million for OSLAD (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development)
- Nearly $5 million from NAAF (Natural Areas Acquisition Fund)
- Over $1 million from the Partners for Conservation Fund
- $25.7 million from RERF (Renewable Energy Resources Fund)
- $1 million from Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund
- $1.25 from the Energy Efficiency Trust Fund
- $15 million from LIHEAP
These are dedicated funds that are paid by taxpayers and ratepayers for a specific purpose. There have been claims that these are surplus funds, but in many cases – such as OSLAD grants – this funding has already been awarded but not yet paid to projects that are already underway. Learn more about this crisis from our friends at the Illinois Association of Park Districts.
We are still learning more about these sweeps and this proposal, but we do ask that you contact your legislator right away to let them know you are opposed to sweeps from funds dedicated to energy and conservation work. *This is different than the Governor’s proposed budget sweeps, which would not take effect until FY16.*