Illinois is feuding with itself over endangered species protections
Illinois is experiencing a conflict between state agencies over protections for endangered species, particularly the bigeye shiner, a small fish in southern Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has accused the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) of repeatedly ignoring recommendations to survey for endangered species before construction projects. This dispute has led to the termination of a long-standing agreement between the agencies and raised concerns about compliance with state endangered species laws.
- ▪The bigeye shiner, a state-listed endangered species, inhabits creeks and rivers in southern Illinois and is threatened by habitat loss.
- ▪IDNR recommended that IDOT survey for the shiner and obtain permits to minimize harm, but IDOT declined, arguing that 'fish swim away.'
- ▪IDOT may have violated the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act in 11 instances over the past year, according to public records.
- ▪IDNR terminated a decade-long agreement with IDOT in response to the agency's repeated refusal to follow species protection recommendations.
- ▪The Illinois Endangered Species Act protects 513 species and requires minimizing harm to listed species before public projects proceed.
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Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco Regional Reporter, Illinois Published Apr 29, 2026 Topic Climate + Accountability Share/Republish Copy Link Republish Copy Link Email SMS X Facebook Republish Reddit LinkedIn Bluesky This story is a partnership between Grist and Chicago Public Media, a public media company serving the Chicago metropolitan region. In the creeks and rivers of southern Illinois, a school of bigeye shiners darting along the edge of a stream is a sign of healthy water. The freshwater fish, which is on the state’s endangered species list, has managed to survive despite habitat loss driven by decades of construction and industrial farm runoff. But an ongoing dispute between two state agencies over state species protections is testing how the tiny fish will endure.
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