Illinois Farm Bureau Halts Vote on Controversial Wetlands Legislation

The Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) has successfully delayed a vote on a controversial wetlands bill, rallying its members and coalition partners to take a stand against the proposed changes. On April 10th, the IFB issued a call to action, which resulted in a robust response from hundreds of its members who voiced their concerns over the amendments to the Wetlands Protection Act.

Chris Davis, IFB’s Director of State Legislation, expressed his gratitude on April 12th: “We’re beyond grateful for our members’ hard work in the last 48 hours. Know that your efforts made a significant difference.” The proposed bill, SB 771, which builds on the earlier SB 3669, aims to regulate all Illinois wetlands larger than 0.0 acres and has raised concerns over the undefined fees that could be imposed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

While the new legislation removes small streams from its scope, it still mandates permits for wetlands of any size, adding to the uncertainty for landowners about potential costs. “The big picture is SB 771 will still regulate wetlands of any size,” stated Sanjay Sofat, IFB Director of Environmental Policy.

Critics of the bill argue that the advocates of the Wetlands Protection Act have misleadingly suggested that farmland is exempt from the legislation, whereas in reality, only specific farming activities like plowing and planting are exempt. These exemptions could be revoked upon any land use change or the discharge of an unspecified toxic pollutant.

As the debate continues, the IFB plans to engage actively in stakeholder meetings with both advocates and opponents of the bill. “There will be significantly more action and activity on this issue in the subsequent weeks so please continue to act again,” added Davis.