[BCNnet] Support The Illinois Wetland Protection Act

Mon, 24 May 2004 08:57:08 -0500

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Birders and Conservationists:
Support the Illinois Wetland Protection Act

Call Your Senators. Ask them to support:

Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 913

the Illinois Wetland Protection Act,
and to ask their colleagues to support it.

Call your Senator:

Senator Ira Silverstein  (8th District)
   773-743-5015, 217-782-5500
   Tell him HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without fees.
   Ask him for his support.
   (S. Glenview)

Senator Jeff Schoenberg  (9th District)
   847-492-1200, 217-782-2119
   Tell him HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without fees.
   Ask him for his support.
   (Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook)
Senator Bill Peterson (26th District)
   847-634-6060, 217-782-8010.
   Tell him HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without fees.
   Ask him for his support.
   SW Lake & E McHenry counties:
   (W Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, Lake Zurich,
   Barrington, Wauconda, Island Lake, Round Lake, S Grayslake)

Senator Susan Garrett (29th District)
   847-433-2002, 217-782-3650
   Tell her HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without fees.
   Thank her for her support.
   (Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Northbrook,
   Glencoe, Deerfield)

Senator Terry Link (30th District)
   Amendment Sponsor
   Thank him for his support.
   217-782-8181, 847-735-8181
   (Waukegan, Gurnee, E Libertyville, W Lake Bluff, Vernon Hills,
   W Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods, N Northbrook)
Senator Adeline Geo-Karis (31st District)
   847-872-7500, 217-782-7353
   Tell her HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without fees.
   Ask her for her support.
   (Zion, N Waukegan, Gurnee, Grayslake,
   Fox Lake, Antioch, Winthrop Harbor)
Deadline:

        Thursday, 5/27
but there will be a committee vote as early as
        Tuesday, 5/25
If successful, the bill will then be voted on by the House next week.

Background:

HB 422, which successfully passed the IL Assembly last fall, was rejected by
the Senate Energy and Environment Committee last week

In January 2001 a Supreme Court ruling threw into question whether federal
Clean Water Act protections apply to any wetlands, streams and other waters
that may be considered "isolated." 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.

While Lake County, Kane County and DuPage Counties, which have
Stormwater Management Commissions, have passed ordinances to
protect our wetlands, wetlands across the rest of the state remain
in jeopardy.

HB422, entitled the Illinois Wetland Protection Act, is presently an
empty bill. Its language has been in negotiation, lead by a volunteer
retired judge, Judge Getty.

After four months of extensive negotiations with all interested  parties,
retired Judge Michael Getty has recommended a compromise solution
to a major problem that threatens Illinois with increased  flooding,
water pollution, and lost wildlife habitat.

The Illinois Wetland Protect Act is the result of those discussions,
and 18 months of discussions that preceded the most recent round of talks.
The amendment to HB 422 includes major concessions to opponents of
wetland protection, and thus is substantially different than similar
legislation (HB 6013 from the 92nd General Assembly) debated
in the House in 2002.

The amendment to HB 422 would establish a wetland permitting program
that would have the following features:

*   A permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will be
required to destroy any wetland not protected by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers. This ensures that wetlands abandoned by the federal
government will have some level of protection, but will avoid any
duplication by automatically exempting from the state program
anything requiring federal approval.

*   Specific exemptions apply for all agricultural activities, utility
corridors,
mining and quarry activities, farm ponds, artificially created waters, and
many others.  All farming activities are exempt.

*   Classify wetlands so that the highest quality areas receive the
greatest protection, and degraded wetlands receive less protection.

*   Counties with existing wetland protection authority
(Cook, DuPage,  Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties)
retain existing authority - local control is not compromised.
Again, duplication is avoided by having the county program,
rather than the state, apply in these areas.
Counties would work together to seek uniform wetland protection
standards over time.

*   A Wetlands Advisory Committee will advise the State in
implementing the program.  Business interests are the largest
component of the Committee.  The Committee will advise the
IDNR on implementation rules, assist counties in
coordinating and ultimately unifying their wetland protection
regulations.  After 2007, the Committee may advise the State to seek
full delegation of the federal wetland protection program in Illinois.

*   Fees will be established by rule.  The IDNR will revisit the fee
structure on an annual basis to ensure that fee levels are in line with
the costs of implementing the program.

The compromise amendment contains many concessions requested
by opponents.  The Illinois Wetland Protection Act represents a fair
compromise that will provide an adequate level of protection for
wetlands that have recently lost all federal protection.  We have already
lost approximately 90% of our state's original wetland acres.
Illinois' few remaining wetland areas are critical for flood control,
water quality, and wildlife.

SUPPORT HB 422 -
PROTECT FAMILIES FROM FLOODS, KEEP OUR WATER CLEAN!

Thank you,
Donnie
Donald R. Dann
Highland Park/Lake County
(This alert was provided by the Sierra Club).

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<p><b><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Birders =
and
Conservationists: </span></font></b><b><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-color=
-alt:
windowtext;font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

Support =
the
Illinois Wetland Protection Act 
 
Call Your Senators. Ask them to support: 
 
Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill =
913 
 
the Illinois Wetland Protection Act, 
and to ask their colleagues to support it. 
 
Call your Senator: 
 
Senator Ira Silverstein&nbsp; (8th District) 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 773-743-5015, 217-782-5500 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Tell him HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without =
fees. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Ask him for his support. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; (S. Glenview) 
 
Senator Jeff Schoenberg&nbsp; (9th District) 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 847-492-1200, 217-782-2119 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Tell him HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without =
fees. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Ask him for his support. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; (Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook) =
<o:p></o:p>

Senator Bill =
Peterson (26th District) 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 847-634-6060, 217-782-8010. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Tell him HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without =
fees. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Ask him for his support. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; SW Lake &amp; E McHenry counties: 
&nbsp;&nbsp; (W Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, Lake
Zurich, 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Barrington, Wauconda, Island Lake, Round Lake, S =
Grayslake) 
 
Senator Susan Garrett (29th District) 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 847-433-2002, 217-782-3650 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Tell her HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without =
fees. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Thank her for her support. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; (Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Northbrook, 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Glencoe, Deerfield) 
 
Senator Terry Link (30th District) 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Amendment =
Sponsor 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Thank him for his support. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 217-782-8181, 847-735-8181 
&nbsp;&nbsp; (Waukegan, Gurnee, E Libertyville, W Lake Bluff, Vernon =
Hills, 
&nbsp;&nbsp; W Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods, N Northbrook) =
<o:p></o:p>

Senator Adeline =
Geo-Karis (31st District) 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 847-872-7500, 217-782-7353 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Tell her HB 422 is now Ammendment 1 to HB 913, without =
fees. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Ask her for her support. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; (Zion, N Waukegan, Gurnee, Grayslake, 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Fox Lake, Antioch, Winthrop Harbor) =
<o:p></o:p>

<p><b><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Deadline:<=
br>
<br>
</span></font></b><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;
Thursday, 5/27 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>but there will be a committee =
vote as
early as <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;
Tuesday, 5/25&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>If successful, the bill will then =
be
voted on by the House next week.<br>
<br>
<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Background:<br>
</span></b><br>
HB 422, which successfully passed the IL Assembly last fall, was =
rejected by
the Senate Energy and Environment Committee last =
week<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

In January 2001 a Supreme Court =
ruling
threw into question whether federal 
Clean Water Act protections apply to any wetlands, streams and other =
waters 
that may be considered &quot;isolated.&quot; 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. 
 
While Lake County, Kane County and DuPage Counties, which have 
Stormwater Management Commissions, have passed ordinances to 
protect our wetlands, wetlands across the rest of the state remain 
in jeopardy. 
 
HB422, entitled the Illinois Wetland Protection Act, is presently an 
empty bill. Its language has been in negotiation, lead by a =
volunteer 
retired judge, Judge Getty. 
 
After four months of extensive negotiations with all interested&nbsp; =
parties, 
retired Judge Michael Getty has recommended a compromise solution 
to a major problem that threatens Illinois with increased&nbsp; =
flooding, 
water pollution, and lost wildlife habitat. 
 
The Illinois Wetland Protect Act is the result of those discussions, 
and 18 months of discussions that preceded the most recent round of
talks.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The amendment to HB 422 includes major concessions to opponents of 
wetland protection, and thus is substantially different than similar 
legislation (HB 6013 from the 92nd General Assembly) debated 
in the House in 2002. 
 
The amendment to HB 422 would establish a wetland permitting program 
that would have the following features: 
 
*&nbsp;&nbsp; A permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources =
will
be 
required to destroy any wetland not protected by the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers. This ensures that wetlands abandoned by the federal 
government will have some level of protection, but will avoid any 
duplication by automatically exempting from the state program 
anything requiring federal approval. 
 
*&nbsp;&nbsp; Specific exemptions apply for all agricultural activities,
utility corridors, 
mining and quarry activities, farm ponds, artificially created waters, =
and 
many others.&nbsp; All farming activities are exempt. 
 
*&nbsp;&nbsp; Classify wetlands so that the highest quality areas =
receive the 
greatest protection, and degraded wetlands receive less protection. 
 
*&nbsp;&nbsp; Counties with existing wetland protection authority 
(Cook, DuPage,&nbsp; Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties) 
retain existing authority - local control is not compromised.&nbsp; 
Again, duplication is avoided by having the county program, 
rather than the state, apply in these areas.&nbsp; 
Counties would work together to seek uniform wetland protection 
standards over time. 
 
*&nbsp;&nbsp; A Wetlands Advisory Committee will advise the State in 
implementing the program.&nbsp; Business interests are the largest 
component of the Committee.&nbsp; The Committee will advise the 
IDNR on implementation rules, assist counties in 
coordinating and ultimately unifying their wetland protection 
regulations.&nbsp; After 2007, the Committee may advise the State to =
seek 
full delegation of the federal wetland protection program in =
Illinois. 
 
*&nbsp;&nbsp; Fees will be established by rule.&nbsp; The IDNR will =
revisit the
fee 
structure on an annual basis to ensure that fee levels are in line =
with 
the costs of implementing the program. 
 
The compromise amendment contains many concessions requested 
by opponents.&nbsp; The Illinois Wetland Protection Act represents a =
fair 
compromise that will provide an adequate level of protection for 
wetlands that have recently lost all federal protection.&nbsp; We have =
already 
lost approximately 90% of our state's original wetland acres. 
Illinois&#8217; few remaining wetland areas are critical for flood =
control, 
water quality, and wildlife. 
 
SUPPORT HB 422 - 
PROTECT FAMILIES FROM FLOODS, KEEP OUR WATER CLEAN! 
 
Thank you,<o:p></o:p>

<p><span class=3DEmailStyle18><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times =
New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Donnie =
<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle18><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Donald
R. Dann<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p><span class=3DEmailStyle18><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times =
New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Highland Park/Lake =
County<span
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</span><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p><span class=3DEmailStyle18><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times =
New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>(This alert was =
provided by
the Sierra Club).<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

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