Protecting wetlands is vital for flood control, wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and recreation — whether it’s paddling a kayak, fishing, watching birds or just enjoying the outdoors. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court’s misguided Sackett v. EPA decision cut back federal protections for about 50% of our nation’s wetlands, and President Donald Trump’s administration is now trying to roll back other federal standards. Millions of acres of wetlands are now vulnerable to destruction.
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That means Illinois and other states need to step up and act while the federal government is sadly moving backwards. Illinois only has 10% of its remaining wetlands left. The time is now to act to protect them.
That’s why Illinois legislators Rep. Anna Moeller and Sen. Laura Ellman introduced the Wetlands Protection Act to protect those wetlands that lost federal safeguards. This legislation has been pending for more than a year, and legislative leaders and Gov. JB Pritzker should get this done in the fall session.
The federal backsliding on wetlands protection and the need for state actions is all taking place while climate change reality hits home hard.
In a single week this summer, the United States was hit with four so-called 1-in-1,000-year storms. These storms are incredibly rare, with a 0.1% chance of happening in any given year. Yet four such extreme storms happened within a week in Illinois, Texas, North Carolina and New Mexico. In Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood, 5 inches of rain fell in just 90 minutes, flooding streets and homes, overwhelming sewers and prompting emergency water rescues on the city’s West Side.
Extreme weather caused by climate change is no longer a future threat. It’s a present crisis, and Illinois is on the front lines.
Scientists have long warned that extreme weather events will become more frequent and more intense. We are experiencing exactly what was predicted: record rainfalls, flash floods, scorching heat.
Many of us feel like we are in whiplash mode with one extreme weather event after another, and a full toolkit to adapt and adjust is necessary. Wetlands protection is one of the most effective, though sometimes overlooked, tools for mitigating the worst impacts of flooding.
Wetlands may not make headlines, but they matter a lot.
Wetlands are natural sponges, soaking up excess rainwater and slowly releasing it over time. In areas where pavement and development leave water with nowhere to go, wetlands help counter flash flooding. Wetlands protect homes, reduce sewer overflows and safeguard lives. Wetlands also filter pollutants from runoff, protect drinking water and provide vital habitat for wildlife. They are part of community creeks, ponds, marshes, lagoons and lakes enjoyed by many people.
Legislators in Springfield have proposed commonsense protections to preserve Illinois’ remaining wetlands and ensure that new development doesn’t come at the expense of communities downstream. The Wetlands Protection Act should be a priority for the General Assembly and Pritzker in light of recent extreme weather events. This isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s a public safety issue, an economic issue and an issue of basic fairness.
Be it communities in Chicago that are often the first to flood or downstate areas that drive Illinois’ agricultural economy, wetlands help everyone in Illinois.
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We can’t afford to keep treating nature as an afterthought while facing a future of heavier rains and rising costs. Illinois has an opportunity and responsibility to step up where the federal government has failed. Wetlands aren’t a luxury. They’re critical infrastructure and necessary tools to temper extreme weather, more intense storms and climate change.
Let’s listen to what the storms are telling us. It’s time for Illinois to protect its wetlands — and better protect its people and communities.
Howard A. Learner is executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, a Midwest environmental legal and policy organization.
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