Streambank Cleanup and
Lake Shore Enhancement
2004 IEPA financial assistance awarded 
2004 SCALE Recipients
- Boone County Conservation District
- Chicago Cares Inc.
- Dixon Park District*
- Elgin Community Network/Friends of Tyler Creek
- Embarras River Management Association*
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County*
- Friends of the Chicago River
- Friends of Clinton Lake*
- Friends of the Fox River
- Friends of the Illinois River
- Friends of Kincaid Lake, Inc.*
- Friends of the Morton Grove Forest Preserves*
- Friends of Sangamon Valey*
- Great Rivers Land Trust
- Hegewisch Chamber of Commerce*
- Hyde Park Elementary School (Waukegan CAG*)
- Illinois Smallmouth Alliance
- Izaak Walton League of America
- JoDaviess Conservation Foundation*
- Keep Salem Beautiful
- Kennedy Canoe Club
- Lake Michigan Federation
- Living Lands & Waters
- Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders, Inc.
- Mackinaw Canoe Club
- Medinah Homeowners Association*
- Metro Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago*
- Northern Illinois Anglers Association
- ORSANCO
- City of Park City*
- Piasa Creek Watershed Education Team
- River Forest Park District
- Salt Creek Watershed Network
- Salt Fork River Partners
- Sierra Club/Valley of the Fox Group*
- The Conservation Foundation
- Thorn Creek Restoration Coalition*
- Vermilion River Beautification Project
- Wildwood Nature Center
- Wooster Lake Conservation & Control Association
- Youth Conservation Corp*
*= First Time Applicant
Illinois EPA has announced
that
42 organizations have been awarded Streambank Cleanup and Lakeshore Enhancement,
or SCALE, program grants for 2004. SCALE is an Illinois EPA program designed
to provide financial assistance to organizations for streambank or lakeshore
cleanups.
The program, funded through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, provides
up to $2000 to each group to help with their efforts. The funds are typically
used
for safety attire, dumpster rentals, landfill tipping fees and promotional
materials. SCALE funds are available only to organizations that have
already established
a recurring streambank or lakeshore cleanup.
SCALE's 2003 cleanup events were held from May through December. ORSANCO
covered the largest area, 133 miles of the Ohio and Wabash Rivers, while
the Northern
Illinois Anglers Association collected the most litter, 75 tons. The Friends
of the Chicago River had the greatest number of participants with 2700. Among
the unusual items found were a motorcycle, a nine-foot trident spear and
a small bag of shredded cash.
Overall, 2003's participants removed nearly
300 tons of trash from more than 700 miles of streams plus 76 acres
of lakes in Illinois; over 9000 people
participated overall.
Additional information can be obtained by calling
the Nonpoint Source Unit at 217-782-3362 for a program brochure and
application.
How you can help...
Your everyday activities can help protect our water resources. Here
are some ideas on how you can help:
- Participate in a streambank or
lakeshore clean up.
- Take the used motor oil from
your car and lawn equipment to
a recycling facility, or have your
oil changed at a professional
garage; they are legally obligated to recycle the oil.
- Clean up spills before they are
washed away.
- Maintain your car properly, so
motor oil and other fluids do not
leak from your car.
- Leave grass clippings and
leaves on the lawn as a natural
fertilizer or create a compost
pile in your backyard.
- Plant native trees, grass and
flowers to prevent soil erosion.
- Apply pesticides, herbicides
and fertilizers according to
directions or use a natural alternative such as pulling weeds
and using compost for fertilizer.
- Wash your clothes and even
your car with a non-phosphate
detergent.
- Remove pet waste from your
driveway, street, sidewalk or
lawn.
- Talk to your family, neighbors
and friends about these actions
that they can take to protect the
future of Illinois' precious water
resources.
- Participate in a local watershed planning and
implementation project.
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