The rusty-patched bumblebee is again causing a buzz of controversy for the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor project.
On Monday, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice of intent to sue the Federal Highway Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation for failing to prevent harm to the insect, which was added to the list of endangered species in March.
The rusty-patched bumblebee has already declined by an estimated 91 percent, yet the agency recently signed off on a federal highway project in Illinois that will destroy bee habitat, Stephanie Parent, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a news release.
“Federal and state officials can’t just walk away from their legal obligation to protect the rusty-patched bumblebee,” she said. “Like many Midwesterners, my childhood was filled with the buzzing of fuzzy bumblebees. It angers me that the agencies entrusted to protect this critically imperiled creature are refusing to do their jobs.”
If the Federal Highway Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation do not agree to enter into formal consultation within 60 days, the Center plans to sue them for violations of the Endangered Species Act, according to the release.
Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen said he respects the opposition to the $115 million Longmeadow Parkway project.
County officials said the proposed 5.6-mile roadway, which includes a toll bridge over the Fox River, will alleviate traffic congestion in northern Kane County. The project has been discussed or in planning stages for more than 20 years.
“I think we do need to protect the environment for multiple generations into the future,” Lauzen said. “And the Department of Transportation has a track record of enhancing the environment. I think we have a common objective, whether we oppose or support the project, of protecting the environment as we do what’s necessary in a growing county in providing for the transportation needs.”
This isn’t the first time the rusty-patched bumblebee issue has caused a stir for the project.
In mid-April, the Stop Longmeadow organization revitalized its cause against work in the Longmeadow Bridge Corridor with a lawsuit that prompted a federal judge to grant a temporary restraining order blocking construction for 10 days after the bee was found in Brunner Family Forest Preserve.
But at the end of April, a federal judge lifted the temporary restraining order, saying opponents did not show that construction would harm the rusty-patched bumblebee, an endangered species found along the proposed route, according to court documents.
Officials from Stop Longmeadow could not be reached for comment.
Lauzen said county officials respect the actions that have been taken, saying there is a mutual goal of wanting to protect the environment.
“We don’t want to harm the environment but some of us recognize the need as we’re growing that we have to provide for regional transportation,” Lauzen said. “What stands out in this Longmeadow project is there are (many) towns and villages that put together resolutions of support for this, in two different counties. People have really collaborated over the last 25 years to get this regional transportation asset.”
Erin Sauder is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.