Help Save Illinois Wetlands

 

PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR TODAY at 217-782-2000 AND ASK HIM/HER TO VOTE YES ON HB 913!! Senate to vote this week!

 

Background:

On January 9, 2001 the US Supreme Court dealt a heavy blow to wetlands in Illinois, and the nation, with its decision in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (SWANCC). The Court ruled that the Army Corps had improperly denied a proposal to destroy ponds that provide habitat for migrating birds in order to build a landfill.

 

Illinois' Wetlands - Valuable Resources, Mostly Destroyed
In Illinois, we have already lost ~90% of our original wetland acreage.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources estimates that over a third of Illinois' remaining wetlands have suddenly lost all federal protection as a result of the decision. Unless we act at the state or local level to protect them, nothing is stopping the bulldozers from destroying these critical areas.

 

The benefits of wetlands 

·        protect our families from flood damage by absorbing rainwater

·        filter pollutants out of our water supplies

·        provide critical habitat for many species of wildlife - Illinois has 57 rare animal and 11 rare plant species that are wetland-dependent for at least part of their lives

 

In the recent past, we asked you to make calls supporting wetlands bill HB 422. Unfortunately, HB 422 was rejected by the Senate Energy and Environment Committee. State Senator Terry Link revived the legislation by filing it as an amendment to House Bill 913.

 

How The Illinois Wetland Protection Act (HB 913) Would Work
House Bill 913 would restore protections to wetlands that the federal government is no longer protecting by requiring a permit from the state before anyone could destroy a wetland in Illinois. If the applicant could demonstrate that there were no reasonable alternatives to destroying the wetland, and that it would not result in a loss of flood control, wildlife habitat, or water purification functions, then a permit would be issued by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The IDNR, would consult with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to determine if the proposed activity would cause a violation of Illinois' water quality standards.

HB 913 would allow for the wetland protection program to be run by county governments, rather than the state, if the county chose to and had a program in place that was as protective as the state program. Counties such as DuPage, which currently have a wetland permit program, could be delegated this state authority.

 

Even if your supported wetlands in the past, please call him/her TODAY in Springfield to let them know that HB 913 is now the Wetlands Protection Act, and to support it on the Senate floor.

 

For more information, visit http://illinois.sierraclub.org/    and click on “Legislative”

 

Thank you!!!!