Draft environmental assessment released; Kankakee Co. board, Soil & Water Conservation District, and Chamber of Commerce announce opposition to the refuge; Farm Bureau delivers 1,000 letters and a petition with1,465 signatures to FWS office in Minnesota; Kankakee County Farm Bureau opposes the refuge Decision document signed, refuge authorized to proceed FWS decides to focus on projects in other states Farm Bureau involvement with the Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge Farmer involvement with the Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge began with the proposal for the project in 1996. In 1998, a draft environmental assessment was released, the same year that the Kankakee County Board adopted a resolution opposing the refuge based on multiple concerns raised by local citizens. In 2000, a decision document was signed, signaling that the refuge was authorized to proceed. Despite opposition at the local level, the US Fish & Wildlife Service did not change course until 2001, when they decided to focus on projects in other states. In May 2015, US Fish & Wildlife Service returned to the Kankakee area and began working on the refuge with significant changes in the focus area, both removing Indiana from the project completely, and changing to a refuge and conservation area, with different land ownership prospects. At that time, the Service had received a donation of 66-acres to officially establish the refuge. The Service also commenced with a ribbon- cutting event on October 15, 2016, despite continued and fervent concerns about the refuge project. Staff at Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) got involved when the project returned and worked with the Kankakee County and Ford-Iroquois Farm Bureaus to educate farmer members about the process and public input opportunities. With hopes of stopping or slowing the establishment of the refuge until landowner concerns were addressed, Illinois Farm Bureau assisted the local Farm Bureaus with organizing a petition of opposition, of which more than 1,400 farmers and landowners signed. In addition, U.S. senators and house representatives were brought into the conversation. The Illinois Farm Bureau began facilitating conference calls between staff members of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, county Farm Bureaus, and elected official offices in July 2017. Following much consideration, on October 28, 2016, Congresswoman Robin Kelly issued a letter opposing the refuge plans. On November 9, 2016, the Kankakee County Board voted 20 to 0 to reaffirm their opposition to the refuge. The City of Momence passed a resolution opposing the refuge on February 6, 2017. State Senator Toi Hutchinson issued a letter opposing the refuge plans on February 9, 2018. State Representative Lindsay Parkhurst issued a letter opposing the refuge plans on March 14, 2018. The opposition to the project by these leaders speaks loudly that our community and our local stakeholders have grave concerns about the direction of this refuge. 2000 1998 2002....2014 1997 2001 1999 Farmer involvement begins with the project proposal 10