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Environmental Progress - Summer/Fall 2002

Environmental Progress : Summer/Fall 2002

Illinois EPA Hosts Local Government Workshops

Eight sessions spotlighted other agency services

IEPA Director answering questions at local government workshop

Director Cipriano listens to a question from the audience, Other panelists from left are Marcia Willhite, Bureau of Water chief, William Child, chief of the Bureau of Land, and Dave Kolaz, Bureau of Air chief.

This summer, Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano hosted a series of informational workshops across Illinois.

Titled Assisting Illinois Communities: Illinois EPA's Information Exchange for Local Governments, the sessions were developed to inform local government officials about various resources Illinois EPA offers, such as grants, loans, technical assistance and staff support, in addition to the better known regulatory functions.

Workshops were held in Jacksonville, Galesburg, Centralia, Sesser, Joliet, Palatine, Champaign-Urbana and Rockford. Attendees represented municipalities, sanitary districts, counties, townships, consultants for municipalities, regional planning commissions and organizations such as universities and legislative offices.

Agency staff accompanied Director Cipriano and discussed low-interest loan programs, grants to help with redevelopment of under-used or abandoned properties, services such as waste collection programs, and pollution prevention consultations to help governments reduce waste while saving money.

Topics of discussion during the interactive portion of the program varied at each workshop; questions indicated considerable interest in brownfields, storm water, the unsewered grants program, and water loan programs.

"Our goal is to present the variety of resources that can help improve the quality of life in Illinois communities and to help them develop a better understanding of agency programs and activities," said Director Cipriano. "While most citizens and industry are familiar with the regulatory side of the Agency, the Illinois EPA also offers numerous financial and technical assistance programs to units of local government."