A landmark Supreme Court ruling imperils 30 million acres of wetlands in the Upper Midwest, heightening flood risks for people who live there, according to a new analysis.
The analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists highlights the consequences of last year’s ruling for Sackett v. EPA, in which the high court effectively exempted many inland wetlands from long-standing protections under the Clean Water Act.
Across Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, many of the remaining wetlands are now at risk of being filled in or destroyed for agricultural activities, according to the report.
As a result, the region could see worse flooding — a trend that’s already been documented as the planet warms, the report said. The wetlands now at risk provide nearly $23 billion in flood reduction benefits, it concluded.
