October 2004
Illinois EPA Awards Grants for Landfill Inspection and Illegal Dumping Investigations
Springfield, IL— Governor Rod Blagojevich has announced that 16 Illinois counties and the City of Chicago have been awarded Solid Waste Enforcement Grants by the Illinois EPA to enable them to conduct inspections of landfills, compost sites and transfer stations and for investigations and enforcement activities at Agency permitted solid waste disposal sites and illegal dumps.
These counties and the City of Chicago have been delegated the authority to inspect facilities on behalf of the Illinois EPA. “County officials are closer to these facilities so they can respond more quickly to any problems that may arise. The solid waste grants provide part of the necessary resources to ensure compliance of disposal facilities, clean up of open dumps and documentation of enforcement-related actions,” according to Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano.
The grant recipients and amounts each received are:
•Chicago Dept. of Environment - $68,226.18
•Christian County Solid Waste Management Dept. - $49,153.25
•DuPage Cty. Department Development & Environmental Concerns -
$48,737.61
•Jackson County Health Dept. - $30,146.08
•Kankakee County Health Dept. - $22,457.53
•Lake County Health Dept. & Community Health Center - $49,992.12
•LaSalle County Dept. of Environmental Services and Development -
$32,664.76
•Macon County Solid Waste Management Dept. - $37,815.94
•Madison County Planning and Development - $68,752.34
•McHenry County Health Dept. - $30,327.41
•Montgomery County Coordinated Services - $24,228.19
•Ogle County Solid Waste Management Dept. - $20,785.74
•Sangamon County Dept. of Public Health - $53,165.61
•St. Clair County Health Dept. - $68,757.52
•Tazewell County Health Dept. - $53,348.01
•Wayne County Health Dept. - $26,705.42
•Will County Land Use Dept., Waste Services Division - $63,587.17
Total $748,850.88
In addition to state funding, the counties also receive training from the Illinois EPA’s regional managers that will assist them as they carry out their daily duties. This joint effort between the state and local government is one of the few such partnerships in the country.
In addition, the Vermilion County Health Department, the Perry County Health Department and Ambraw Valley Solid Waste Management Agency have been delegated the authority to inspect disposal facilities, although they did not receive grants.