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Federal Wetlands Protections Face Major Rollback, Threatening Midwest Ecosystems
WASHINGTON D.C. – A move by the Trump administration is poised to substantially weaken federal protections for wetlands and streams across the United States, raising alarms among environmental groups and possibly jeopardizing millions of acres of vital habitat in Illinois and the wider midwest. The proposed changes center on a revised definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS), the key term defining which bodies of water fall under the jurisdiction of the 1972 Clean Water Act.
The new definition, unveiled this week, directly implements the implications of a landmark
