Natural Resource Reviews

Threatened or Endangered Species

Natural Areas Wetlands

Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act 144 animals and 339 plants are listed in

Illinois Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act

Sites on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory

Includes Nature Preserves and Land and Water Reserves

Interagency Wetland Policy Act

Laws and Regulations

Who has to consult? A unit of state or local government

that

Authorizes an action Funds an action Performs an action

AND the action

Alters environmental conditions

Consultation Process

The EcoCAT Natural Resources Review If the Natural Heritage Database does not

have any records of protected resources in the vicinity, consultation will be terminated.

If there are resources, they will be listed on the EcoCAT report with the name of the IDNR staff member who will review the project.

Consultation Process

Staff natural resources review Are resources flagged by EcoCAT likely to

be adversely affected by the action? If not, consultation is closed.

If resources are likely to be adversely affected, written recommendations to avoid or minimize impacts will be sent to the applicant.

— If a third party is the applicant, recommendations will also be sent to the unit of government with jurisdiction over the action.

If the project description does not provide enough information to determine potential impacts, additional information will be requested. Examples: Subdivision or development plat Mass grading plans Narrative on drainage and stormwater

management Soil boring data

Consultation Process

Approximately 50% of consultations submitted on-line are closed immediately.

Another 45% are terminated after a reviewer takes a closer look at the project and the resources.

Only 5% of consultations result in detailed recommendations to avoid or minimize impacts.

What happens if consultation is ignored?

Consultation can be enforced by Writ of Mandamus Lawsuits by third parties have delayed projects

Consultation is mandatory, but adopting any recommendations to avoid or minimize impacts is voluntary.

However ….. If the action could kill or injure a listed

animal, Incidental Take Authorization may be recommended.

ITA will protect you from violating the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act, which is a Class A misdemeanor.

What triggers a review for wetland impacts?

An action is being performed or funded by a state agency.

Wetland Review Process

Avoid, minimize, mitigate! A project will not receive state

technical assistance or funding without this review.

The review and any required wetland compensation plan must be completed before a project is implemented.

Blanding’s Turtle - Threatened

No adverse impacts; consultation closed. Adverse impacts

Applicant decides to relocate project location Impacts temporary; restore to original

condition Mitigation

—Replacement wetlands—Wetland banks

Wetland Impact Review

Common Misconceptions

Find a listed species--stop a project. If it’s on my property, I can do what I want. Private persons have to consult. I have a permit from the Corps of Engineers,

I don’t need anything else. The National Wetlands Inventory doesn’t

show any wetlands in the area, so there aren’t any.

No records of listed species means no listed species.

Few projects are incompatiblewith endangered species

Blanding’s Turtle

Painted Turtle