News

Illinois DNR Hit With More Cuts

Through cuts and hiring freezes, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has lost a quarter of its staff since 2001. In July, it was hit again with another budget cut of $14 million. The cuts, ordered by Governor Blagojevich in response to a $1.5 billion deficit in the state budget, call for a 20 percent reduction in the IDNR budget, which may result in the loss of an additional 163 staff members.

According to Partners for Parks and Wildlife, eliminated staff would include people who maintain and protect 4.5 million acres of forest and woodland areas. There will also be a reduction in staff who complete annual water surveys on our 87,000-plus miles of and 91,400 other water bodies; these vital assessments of the quality of fish and wildlife populations will now only occur every two to four years. Staff who manage land acquisition for public recreation will also be cut, slowing new purchases and reducing the number of new recreation areas. Those responsible for timber management will also be lost. Last but not least, conservation police will be eliminated, likely contributing to increased poaching and violations of laws protecting sensitive natural areas.

Programs that will suffer from the budget cuts include outdoor education programs, guided hikes, and programs for school groups. Funding has also been cut for water supply planning, which will impede the ability of two regional groups, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the Mahomet Aquifer Consortium (MAC) to complete regional water supply studies due in June 2009. The reporting of deer kills at checkpoints will no longer be enforced, which biologists believe will increase the spread of chronic wasting disease. In addition, implementation of the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan will be reduced; this plan is a strategic habitat-based approach for maintaining all of Illinois' wildlife resources, both game and non-game.

At press time, no resolution was in sight as Governor Blagojevich, Speaker of the House Madigan, and Senate President Jones had not yet met to discuss legislative solutions to the ongoing budget impasse.

— Douglas Chien