Peoria-Area Lawmakers At Center Of Statewide Push For Conservation Funding

PEORIA — Peoria-area lawmakers are playing a leading role in a growing statewide effort to increase funding for Illinois soil and water conservation programs as lawmakers negotiate the final weeks of the state budget.

Conservation advocates say the issue has become increasingly urgent as Illinois continues losing productive farmland to industrial development, housing construction, renewable energy projects, and other expanding land uses.

At the center of the debate is Sen. David Koehler, the Peoria Democrat sponsoring Senate Bill 4044, a proposal designed to create a long-term funding source for Illinois’ 97 local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

The legislation would establish the Agricultural Land Conservation Act and create a one-time fee paid by developers when farmland is permanently converted to non-agricultural development. Revenue generated would support conservation programs and local SWCD operations statewide.

Supporters say the proposal is intended to help communities balance economic development with long-term farmland protection and environmental stewardship.

“This is a way to say to folks, ‘You’re fine to develop, but let’s also put money and investment back into what we do best,’ and that is grow things in Illinois,” Koehler told lawmakers during a recent Senate hearing.

The issue also has strong ties to the Bloomington-Normal region through Rep. Sharon Chung, the Bloomington Democrat sponsoring House Bill 4755, which would provide additional operational funding for local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Conservation leaders say both bills reflect growing bipartisan recognition that Illinois’ current conservation funding system is struggling to keep pace with increasing environmental and development pressures.

According to the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts, statewide SWCD operational funding has remained around $4.5 million annually in recent years — roughly $40,000 per district each year.

AISWCD Executive Director Eliot Clay warned lawmakers that Illinois is reaching a critical moment for conservation policy.

“Illinois cannot afford to treat conservation as an afterthought,” Clay said. “Communities across Illinois are dealing with increasing pressure on farmland, water resources, and local infrastructure.”

Clay noted during recent Senate testimony that Illinois lost more than 75,000 acres of productive farmland to development in FY25 alone.

AISWCD President Dale Shumaker said local conservation districts remain on the front lines of issues affecting both downstate communities and urban regions alike, including flooding, nutrient runoff, drought conditions, and drinking water concerns.

“SWCDs are the conservation delivery system in Illinois,” Shumaker said.

With the General Assembly facing its May 31 adjournment deadline, conservation advocates say lawmakers from Central Illinois are helping drive one of the Capitol’s most significant environmental funding conversations of the spring legislative session.