Environment

Creates the Agricultural Land Conservation Act. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2027, a Farmland Conversion Fee of $275 per acre shall be paid by the buyer or lessee of a transaction for any agricultural land that will be removed from production for the specific purpose of developing an industrial park, a commercial area, a single-family or multi-family dwelling or for being put to any other use that removes the agricultural land from production. Provides that the fee shall be collected by the Department of Agricultural. Provides for the creation of the Farmland Conversion Fee Fund as a special fund in the State Treasury. Provides that all Farmland Conversion Fees collected by the Department of Agriculture shall be contributed to the Fund. Further provides that moneys in the Fund may be exclusively used for the following purposes: (i) supporting education and programs that support healthy soil clean water, and climate-smart agricultural practices; (ii) supporting operations funding for soil and water conservation districts; (iii) covering costs associated with administering the Act; (iv) any other purposes that the Department of Agriculture determines are consistent with the purposes of the Act. Provides that, before expending moneys for any other purposes, the Department of Agriculture shall, subject to the availability of moneys in the Fund, ensure that during each State fiscal year, $10,000,000 is distributed to soil and water conservation districts, for the purpose of supporting their operations funding. Provides that $500,000 shall be distributed to the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of collecting fees and administering the program created under the Act. Provides for penalties. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $780,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County for the administration and operation of Greencorps Chicago and Forest Preserve Experience programs within the Conservation Corps program. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. In provisions concerning High Impact Businesses, adds utility-scale brownfield site photovoltaic projects and over 5,000 kilowatts and utility-scale solar projects to High Impact Businesses that may be located, at the time of designation, in an enterprise zone. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Provides that "brownfield site photovoltaic project" includes photovoltaics that are interconnected to an electric utility, a municipal utility, a public utility, or an electric cooperative, where at least 50% of the acreage occupied by the photovoltaics is located on the property regulated under specified United States Environmental Protection Agency or Illinois Environmental Protection Agency programs. Makes other changes

Amends the Energy Transition Act. Provides that the Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs Network shall incorporate targeted outreach, recruitment, training, and placement services specifically for participants seeking careers within the climate, environmental, and clean energy sector. Defines "climate, environmental, and clean energy sector". Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall collect, track, and report certain information concerning the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program. Provides that the information shall be disaggregated by race, gender, geography, and equity status.

Creates the River Access Modernization Act. Affirms the public's right to use navigable and recreationally suitable waters for canoeing, boating, kayaking, and angling, subject to protection of private property rights and environmental values. Provides that the public right of use does not include crossing private uplands or exiting onto private land without permission. Establishes landowner liability protections. Prohibits littering and alteration of flora and fauna. Grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Natural Resources to designate public access points, resolve conflicts, promote safety and conservation education, and maintain a listing of navigable waterways. Defines "navigable water" and "public recreational use".

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program in the Department of Agriculture to provide crop insurance premium discounts for cover crops. Directs the Department to award grants in specified amounts to Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Creates the Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount Fund. Provides for requirements for the Program. Directs the Department to adopt rules.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Repeals the definition of "food scrap"; adds definitions for "anaerobic digestion", "biogas", "digestate", "food waste", "organic material", and "organic waste"; and updates the definitions of "compost" and "composting". In provisions regarding pollution control facilities, includes a new exemption for portions of sites or facilities used for composting or anaerobic digestion of organic waste that meet specified siting, setback, floodplain, and operational requirements. In provisions regarding prohibited acts, establishes permitting requirements for organic waste composting operations and organic waste anaerobic digesters, and creates exemptions for small-scale and certain farm-based composting operations that meet volume limits, setback distances, and other environmental safeguards. Provides that anaerobic digesters using only non-waste feedstock are exempt from solid waste permitting and clarifies that digested material returned to the economic mainstream is not regulated as waste. Authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to recommend, and the Pollution Control Board to adopt, performance standards for organic waste compost facilities and testing procedures for end-product compost, and requires a Technical Advisory Committee with balanced stakeholder representation. Specifies that standards apply to compost offered for sale or use and exempts on-site residential composting. Makes conforming changes throughout to integrate new definitions and regulatory requirements.

Creates the Clean Transportation Standard Act. Establishes a clean transportation standard to reduce life cycle carbon intensity of fuels for the ground transportation sector by specified amounts. Provides for related rulemaking and calculations. Provides that the clean transportation standard shall take the form of a credit marketplace monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides for verification and data privacy requirements for the Agency. Provides for penalties for failing to offset deficits in certain situations, and for penalties for submitting false information. Exempts airline, rail, ocean-going, and military fuel. Provides that the Agency must develop a periodic fuel supply forecast. Establishes findings. Defines terms. Contains other provisions. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that any individual or entity that engages in beekeeping at a qualified beekeeping property during the taxable year shall be entitled to an income tax credit equal to the lesser of 100% of the liability insurance premiums paid by that individual or entity during the taxable year in connection with the qualified beekeeping property or $1,000.

Creates the Make Polluters Pay Act. Amends the Drug Take-Back Act. Provides that any person who violates the act is liable for a civil penalty of $10,000 (rather than $7,000). Amends the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act. Provides that any person who violates the Act is liable for a civil penalty of $10,000 (rather than $7,000) Amends the Paint Stewardship Act. Provides that any person who violates the Act is liable for a civil penalty of $10,000 (rather than $7,000).