In the Quad Cities, a proposed development near a bald eagle habitat divides a community – Chicago Tribune

Report on the Milan Bottoms Development Conflict: Balancing Economic Growth and Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Case Study in Sustainable Development

• A proposed commercial development on a 10-acre plot in Rock Island, Illinois, presents a significant conflict between economic objectives and environmental preservation.
• The site, known as Casino West, is adjacent to the Milan Bottoms, an ecologically critical wetland.
• This situation highlights the inherent tensions between several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning economic growth, poverty reduction, and biodiversity.

Ecological Significance and Alignment with SDG 15 (Life on Land)

A Critical Biodiversity Hotspot

• The Milan Bottoms is a 4,000-acre wetland ecosystem that has flourished despite surrounding urban development.
• It serves as a vital habitat for over 150 threatened and endangered species, making its preservation crucial for achieving the targets of SDG 15, which aims to halt biodiversity loss.
• Key protected species documented in the area include:
  • Blanding’s turtles
  • Black-crowned night herons
  • Red-shouldered hawks

National Importance for Bald Eagle Conservation

• The wetland is recognized as the largest known winter nighttime roost for migrating bald eagles in the lower 48 states.
• Scientific surveys conducted from 2005 to 2011 documented an average of 4,850 eagle sightings per winter season.
• Protecting this habitat is essential for SDG 15.5, which calls for urgent action to protect threatened species from extinction. Environmental experts express concern that light and noise pollution from the proposed development could displace the eagles.

Socio-Economic Imperatives and SDGs 1 & 8

Addressing Local Economic Disparity (SDG 1 & SDG 8)

• The City of Rock Island faces significant economic challenges, with a poverty rate of approximately 21%. This context frames the city’s pursuit of development as a strategy to advance SDG 1 (No Poverty).
• With limited land available for commercial expansion, city officials view the Casino West site as a critical opportunity to generate revenue and promote SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
• Miles Brainard, Rock Island’s community development manager, described the site as “probably the most valuable and most important commercial site in our portfolio.”

The Proposed “Casino West” Project

• A development company, A Hana Illowa LLC, plans to construct a gas station and marijuana dispensary on the 10-acre plot.
• The project is projected to generate over $2 million in revenue, which city officials state is critical for funding essential public services.

The Development Controversy: A Challenge for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

Environmental Concerns and Community Opposition

• Environmentalists and residents fear the development will disrupt the sensitive ecosystem through pollution and human activity, directly challenging the aims of SDG 11 to safeguard natural heritage.
• A study conducted after the 2008 construction of a nearby casino documented a statistically significant shift in eagle populations away from the optimal roosting area, suggesting that mitigation measures may be insufficient.
• Critics, including biologist Kelly McKay, argue that this historical data provides evidence that the new development will cause further harm.

Climate Change and Land Use (SDG 13)

• The Milan Bottoms area is vulnerable to increased flooding due to climate change, with projections indicating a potential water level rise of over 8 feet by 2050 during major events. This aligns with concerns addressed in SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• The proposed development site constitutes some of the only higher ground in the area, making it a uniquely valuable dry-land nesting habitat for reptiles like the endangered Blanding’s turtle. Its development would eliminate this critical climate refuge.

Governance, Assessment, and Partnerships (SDG 17)

Environmental Assessments and Regulatory Measures

1. Initial environmental studies commissioned by the city and the developer concluded there was no significant risk to wildlife.
2. Opponents criticize these studies for lacking on-the-ground surveys during the critical winter eagle roosting season.
3. In response to public pressure, the city is now requiring the developer to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal agency that enforces the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Multi-Stakeholder Engagement

• The conflict involves a complex interaction between municipal government, private developers, scientific experts, and environmental advocates, highlighting the need for robust partnerships as outlined in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
• While proceeding with the sale of the Casino West plot, the city also plans to work with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to place other portions of the Milan Bottoms it owns into a protected Land and Water Reserve.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

• The Rock Island City Council is poised to decide on the sale of the property, weighing projected economic benefits against documented environmental risks and strong community opposition.
• This case serves as a critical example of the on-the-ground challenges of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, requiring an integrated approach that reconciles economic needs (SDG 8), social goals (SDG 1), and environmental protection (SDG 15) to create truly sustainable communities (SDG 11).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  This is the most prominent SDG, as the article’s central theme is the conflict between urban development and the conservation of the Milan Bottoms wetland, a critical terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem. The text focuses on protecting biodiversity and the habitats of numerous species.

  • Evidence: The article describes the Milan Bottoms as a “massive wetland” that is “home to over 150 endangered and threatened species,” including the migrating bald eagle, herons, and Blanding’s turtles. The core conflict is the potential “degradation of natural habitats” due to the construction of a gas station and dispensary.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article highlights the economic motivations behind the proposed development. The city of Rock Island is seeking to generate revenue and stimulate its local economy.

  • Evidence: The city is described as having “struggled to bring in commercial revenue.” The development is seen as a way to bring “much-needed revenue” and is referred to as “probably the most valuable and most important commercial site in our portfolio.” The article states that “economic development is critical” for the city to deliver essential services.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The push for economic development is directly linked to the high poverty rate in Rock Island, framing the issue as a choice between environmental protection and poverty alleviation.

  • Evidence: The article explicitly states that Rock Island’s “poverty rate of about 21% is nearly double the overall poverty rate of the metro area,” which is a key justification used by city officials to support the development.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article discusses the challenge of urban planning, where a city must balance economic needs with the protection of its natural heritage. It touches upon land use, pollution from development, and creating sustainable living spaces.

  • Evidence: The conflict is set at the edge of the city, where developers “build closer and closer to the wetland.” Concerns are raised about the development causing “light pollution or noise pollution” and increased “stormwater runoff.” The city’s struggle to find “developable commercial sites” because it is “bordered by rivers” is a classic urban planning challenge.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  The article addresses the health and protection of a water-related ecosystem (the wetland) and how it is impacted by surrounding human activity and infrastructure.

  • Evidence: It explains how the wetland’s hydrology was altered by “commercial development and human-made drainage systems.” It also notes that runoff from “asphalt parking lots” now flows directly into the Milan Bottoms, affecting its water levels and ecosystem.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  Climate change is mentioned as a future threat to the area, highlighting the wetland’s role in climate resilience and adaptation.

  • Evidence: The article cites a projection that “climate change could cause floodwaters in the Milan Bottoms area to rise over 8 feet by 2050 during major events,” emphasizing the vulnerability of the ecosystem and the importance of higher ground for nesting animals.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The issue involves a complex web of stakeholders, including government bodies, private developers, scientists, and community groups, whose collaboration is necessary to find a sustainable solution.

  • Evidence: The article mentions the involvement of the City of Rock Island, developers (A Hana Illowa LLC), state agencies (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), federal agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), environmental groups (Quad Cities Audubon Society), and local protestors, all with competing interests in the project.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands…

   The entire article revolves around the conservation of the 4,000-acre Milan Bottoms wetland and the threat posed by development. The city’s plan to place other parts of the wetland into a “Land and Water Reserve through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources” directly supports this target.

2. Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and… protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

   The protests and the work of biologist Kelly McKay are actions aimed at preventing the degradation of the wetland, which is a habitat for “over 150 endangered and threatened species,” including bald eagles and Blanding’s turtles. The fear is that the development could “drive bald eagles and other wildlife from the nearby marsh.”

3. Target 15.9: Integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into… local planning, development processes, [and] poverty reduction strategies…

   This target captures the core dilemma. The City of Rock Island is prioritizing development and poverty reduction, while environmentalists and residents are protesting to force the integration of the wetland’s biodiversity value into the city’s decision-making process.

4. Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of… people… living in poverty…

   The city’s motivation for the development is explicitly tied to its high poverty rate of 21%. The project is seen as a means to generate revenue to provide “essential services to the public” and address this economic hardship.

5. Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

   The Milan Bottoms is described as a significant piece of natural heritage, being the “largest known winter nighttime roost for migrating bald eagles in the lower 48 states.” The efforts by protestors and environmentalists are aimed at safeguarding this heritage from encroachment.

6. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities…

   Concerns about the development’s negative environmental impacts, such as “light pollution,” “noise pollution,” and “stormwater runoff,” directly relate to this target of mitigating the adverse effects of urban expansion.

7. Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including… wetlands, rivers…

   The article details the importance of the Milan Bottoms wetland and the Mississippi River. The city’s plan to work with the IDNR to create a reserve and the ongoing scientific surveys are actions aimed at protecting this vital water-related ecosystem.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Area of the ecosystem (Indicator for Target 15.1)

   The article provides specific measurements of the land area in question.

   • The wetland spans “over 4,000 acres.”
   • The proposed development is on a “10-acre plot.”

2. Status of threatened species (Indicator for Target 15.5)

   The article provides both qualitative and quantitative data on species populations, which can be used to measure biodiversity and the impact of human activity.

   • The presence of “over 150 endangered and threatened species.”
   • Specific population counts, such as observing “400 to 800 eagles per night” and an “average of 4,850 eagle sightings per year” during a past study.
   • Measured impact of previous development: a “7% increase in the proportion of eagles roosting in the downstream habitat” and a “4% decrease in eagles in the upstream habitat” after a casino was built nearby.

3. Poverty Rate (Indicator for Target 1.2)

   A specific statistic is provided to measure poverty in the area.

   • Rock Island’s “poverty rate of about 21%.”

4. Projected Economic Revenue (Indicator for economic growth)

   A specific financial projection is mentioned as a key benefit of the development.

   • “over $2 million in projected revenues from the Casino West development.”

5. Climate Change Projections (Indicator for Target 13.1)

   A quantitative forecast is used to describe the future climate risk to the area.

   • “climate change could cause floodwaters in the Milan Bottoms area to rise over 8 feet by 2050 during major events.”

6. Pollution Levels (Indicator for Target 11.6)

   While not quantified, the article implies that progress could be measured by monitoring specific types of pollution.

   • Mentions of “light pollution,” “noise pollution,” “air pollution,” and “stormwater runoff” as key environmental concerns.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: chicagotribune.com