The Supreme Court could end protections for some wetlands, threatening water and wildlife

The Environmental Protection Agency recently released new rules regarding the Waters of the United States that decide which bodies of water fall under federal protection. But a case the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on soon throws those rules into question and could mean less protection for wetlands.
The remnants of the old levee are still visible at The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve in central Illinois, although these days it no longer holds back the Illinois River.

Now what was once corn and soybean fields is nearly 7,000 acres of lush restored wetlands.

Doug Blodgett grew up just across the river from what would eventually become the preserve. He remembers hearing old-timers reminisce about the days when there’d be so many geese migrating through the floodplains that they’d blot out the sun.

He wasn’t quite sure he believed those stories, until one day a few years into the restoration.