RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the multiple benefits of urban agriculture to reduce flooding and food insecurity in Cook County, Illinois
Body
WHEREAS, the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) defines food insecurity as a "lack of consistent access to adequate, nutritious food" and links poverty to food insecurity and notes children, working families, and older adults are at greater risk of food insecurity. In its 2022 Status Report, the GCFD estimated that in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, approximately 16% of households experienced food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, Feeding America, a forty year old national nonprofit aimed at responding to America's hunger crisis, estimates that 1 in 5 children across America may lack adequate access to healthy food; and
WHEREAS, according to Feeding America, in 2022, 44% (279,083) of food insecure individuals in Cook County, Illinois were not eligible for assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; and
WHEREAS, in addition to advancing food security, urban agriculture has the potential to provide several stormwater benefits when it replaces impervious surfaces, including reduced runoff, soil retention, erosion control, and water filtration; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District) strives to play its part in the fight to end hunger by managing flooding, protecting water quality, and making its land available for open space and urban agriculture - all of which can help to promote equitable food access; and
WHEREAS, District programs provide multiple opportunities to facilitate urban agriculture for its multiple benefits, including:
• The Green Infrastructure Partnership Program (Program), which can be a potential funding source for urban agriculture projects that meet the Program’s stormwater criteria, and
• The Real Estate Program, which makes vacant District real estate available for lease to both commercial and governmental entities, including for urban agriculture and community gardens; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby applaud existing efforts to advance urban agriculture for its multiple benefits, and encourage local units of government such as municipalities, townships, county agencies, park districts, school districts, or other governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, to apply to these District programs to expand and support urban agriculture projects; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners, encourage any entities interested in urban agriculture or community gardens to consider leasing available District real estate, which is available as an interactive map on the District’s website at <https://mwrd.org/doing-business/real-estate>; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that District staff will expand its outreach regarding the programs available to support urban agriculture and community gardening, and will provide a report to the Board of Commissioners at least annually with any new leases or stormwater partnership projects; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: September 19, 2024