IFB STOPS WETLAND LEGISLATION 4/16/24 Efforts
made by Illinois Farm Bureau members and coalition partners were successful in
stopping the Illinois Senate’s vote on proposed wetland legislation, for now. On
April 10th Farm Bureau issued an action request, urging members to
voice their concerns about recent changes to the Wetland Protection Act. Hundreds
of Farm Bureau members responded. Chris
Davis, IFB director of state legislation said, “We’re beyond grateful for our
members’ hard work in the last 48 hours. Know that your efforts made a
significant difference.” The
proposed legislation, SB 771, previously introduced as SB 3669, specifically
targets all Illinois wetlands larger than 0.0 acres. It also introduces
further uncertainty about the fees that could be imposed by the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Sanjay
Sofat, IFB director of environmental policy, said SB 771 carries many of the
same provisions as SB 3669. However, small streams were removed from the
scope. “The
big picture is SB 771 will still regulate wetlands of any size,” he said. “Permits
from IDNR will still be required and now the fee for obtaining permits is not
disclosed.” The
proposed legislation, if approved, would represent the most extensive wetland
regulation in Illinois history, covering isolated wetlands of all sizes. IFB
says advocates for the Wetland Protection Act have falsely claimed farmland is
exempt from the legislation. In reality, only activities associated with
traditional plowing and planting are eligible to receive exemptions, and those
exemptions are removed through a land use change or discharge of an undefined
toxic pollutant. “IFB’s
state team will be attending stakeholder meetings with the advocates and
coalition opponents,” added Davis. “There will be significantly more action
and activity on this issue in the subsequent weeks so please continue to act
again."