Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) The policy of
each agency toward farmland preservation and the working agreements shall be as
stated in 8 Ill. Adm. Code 700.APPENDICES A-J.
b) Policy statements shall contain the
following information:
1) An explanation of
the agency's responsibilities and a description of the various regulations,
programs, procedures and operations employed by the agency to fulfill its
mandate.
2) An analysis of how the
agency's responsibilities and undertakings might result in farmland
conversion.
3) Measures that can be
implemented by the agency to avoid or mitigate farmland conversion.
c) The DOA shall submit copies of
each policy statement and working agreement to the following:
1) the Governor;
2) the General Assembly;
3) each member of the Committee;
4) the State Library; and
5) the public upon request.
d) Every three years, each agency
shall update its policy statement and working agreement or certify in writing
to the DOA that its policy statement and/or working agreement on file as rules
are accurate. The updated policy statements and working agreements shall be
sent to the DOA for review and approval. The DOA shall notify in writing each
agency of approval or the reasons for disapproval of the documents.
1) Policy statements shall be approved if:
A) The revised policy statement states the
agency's obligation and responsibility to protect farmland;
B) The policy statement explains the effect
the agency's program will have on farmland conversion; and
C) The policy statement identifies the
measures the agency shall utilize to protect farmland from unnecessary
conversion (see Project Proposal Requirements in Section 700.APPENDIX A:
EXHIBIT B).
2) The
approval of the working agreements shall be based on:
A) Identification of projects which are
exempt from DOA's review;
B) The
identification of changes, if any, from the previous working
agreement;
C) Identification of the
point in time when an agency will notify the DOA of a proposed
project;
D) The time limits of the
review; and
E) The time when the
review will start.
3)
If, after the review of a policy statement or working agreement, an agency and
the DOA are not in agreement, the conflict resolution process shall be invoked
by the DOA.
4) Certification or
update of existing policy statements and working agreements shall be submitted
to the DOA at least six (6) months before the expiration of existing policy
statements and working agreements.
