January 15, 2026

Editorial: A Supreme Court Ruling Has Put Illinois’ Wetlands at Risk. Springfield Should Respond.

The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board calls on lawmakers in Springfield to protect Illinois wetlands

“Every resident of Illinois has an interest in protecting natural habitats that support game fish and migratory birds, among other beloved creatures. But the wetlands issue isn’t solely about tree-hugging, and that’s what makes it so compelling.

The state’s wetlands play a critical role in flood control, for instance. Averting wet basements and swamped roadways is one reason why Cook County and four other counties in the Chicago area have passed wetland protections specific to their jurisdictions…

Effectively, they are a natural form of infrastructure. To our minds, the strongest argument for protecting them is that, if they go away, we’ll have to build man-made structures to perform the same functions.”

This quote is pulled from the full Chicago Tribune Editorial, published January 15, 2026.

Read Full Editorial Here

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