IL SB1972

Amends the Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989 to require a license from the Director of the Department of Natural Resources before discharging fill material, building structures, or performing work in unprotected wetlands

Creates the State Wetland Conservation Fund, managed by the Department of Natural Resources, exclusively for acquiring interests in, preserving, and restoring wetlands

Establishes an in-lieu fee program with progressive fees based on wetland quality: $175,000 per acre for wetlands on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory or Advance Identification Wetlands GIS datasets, and $50,000 per acre for all other unprotected wetlands

Defines "unprotected wetland" as wetlands not covered by federal Clean Water Act protections or protective county programs (currently Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry Counties)

Authorizes the Department to award grants to municipalities, counties, and non-profit corporations for wetland protection and restoration, with exemptions for duck blinds and certain agricultural activities