Section 70 ILCS 1810/4 - DutiesIt shall be the duty of the Port District:
(a) To study the existing harbor plans within the area of the Port District and to recommend to the appropriate governmental agency, including the General Assembly of Illinois, such changes and modifications as may from time to time be required by the continuing development therein and to meet changing business and commercial needs.(b) To make an investigation of conditions within the area of the Port District and to prepare and adopt a comprehensive plan for the development of the port facilities for the said Port District. In preparing and recommending changes and modifications in existing harbor plans, or a comprehensive plan for the development of said port facilities, as above provided, the District may if it deems desirable set aside and allocate an area, or areas, within the lands held by it, to be used and operated by the District or leased to private parties for industrial, manufacturing, commercial, recreational, or harbor purposes, where such area or areas are not, in the opinion of the District, required for its primary purposes in the development of harbor and port facilities for the use of public water and land transportation, or will not be immediately needed for such purposes, and where such use and operation or leasing will in the opinion of the District aid and promote the development of terminal and port facilities.(c) To study and make recommendations to the proper authority for the improvement of terminal, lighterage, wharfage, warehousing, transfer and other facilities necessary for the promotion of commerce and the interchange of traffic within, to and from the Port District.(d) To study, prepare and recommend by specific proposals to the General Assembly of Illinois changes in the jurisdiction of the Port District.(e) To petition any federal, state, municipal or local authority, administrative, judicial and legislative, having jurisdiction in the premises, for the adoption and execution of any physical improvement, change in method, system of handling freight, warehousing, docking, lightering and transfer of freight, which in the opinion of the Port District may be designed to improve or better the handling of commerce in and through the Port District or improve terminal or transportation facilities therein.(f) To foster, stimulate and promote the shipment of cargoes and commerce through such ports, whether originating within or without the State of Illinois.(g) To acquire, construct, own, lease and develop terminals, wharf facilities, piers, docks, warehouses, bulk terminals, grain elevators, tug boats and other harbor crafts, and any other port facility or port-related facility or service as it finds necessary and convenient.(h) To perform any other act or function which may tend to or be useful toward development and improvement of harbors, sea ports, and port-related facilities and services and to increase foreign and domestic commerce through the harbors and ports within the City of Chicago. P.A. 91-357, eff. 7/29/1999.