Wetlands at Risk: How a Court Ruling Impacts Illinois

A recent Supreme Court decision has changed the rules for protecting wetlands across the United States. The ruling in Sackett v. EPA has made it harder for wetlands to qualify for protection under the Clean Water Act (CWA). This is because the new rule says wetlands must be directly connected to larger bodies of water to get federal protection. This change has big effects, especially in states like Illinois. Many wetlands in Illinois might no longer be protected by federal laws. These wetlands help control floods, and losing their protection could put communities at risk. Researchers looked at different scenarios to see how many wetlands in Illinois could lose protection. They found that up to 72% of the state's wetlands might not be covered by the new rules. This is a big deal because wetlands help prevent flooding and protect communities from natural disasters. The study also found that county-level rules can help protect some wetlands. These local rules can make up for the lack of federal protection in some areas. However, in places where there are no strong local rules, the loss of federal protection could lead to more flooding and higher risks for people and property. Climate change is making flooding worse, and wetlands are a natural defense against it. Protecting these wetlands, even the ones that are not always wet or are far from larger bodies of water, is important for making communities more resilient to climate change.