News Releases - 2003

Shorelines And Fish Will Benefit From “Scale” Grants

Springfield, Ill. -- Kicking off “Earth Month,” on behalf of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano announced today that grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 have been approved for 37 local cleanups of stream and river banks under a pilot program called SCALE (Streambank Cleanup And Lakeshore Enhancement).

The grants come entirely from federal funding through U.S. EPA and are being allocated to Illinois to encourage efforts by local groups who have already demonstrated ability to carry out this kind of cleanup event. Director Cipriano described SCALE as an innovative way of getting positive environmental results statewide for limited monetary outlays.

“These groups working to improve our stream and lake shores have already demonstrated their willingness to get out and work for their environment. These grants will make it a little easier for them to do that, by helping with expenses like safety attire, litter bags, dumpster rentals or landfill fees—costs they’ve previously had to meet on their own,” she said.

Application for SCALE was limited to groups that had conducted cleanups in 2001 or 2002. U.S. EPA approved a total of $50,000 for the pilot effort, and grants in the first year total $33,500. Remaining funds will carry over to support the event next year. Cleanups receiving funding at this time must carry out their projects in 2003.

Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation and Development, Inc. and the Chouteau Island Coordination Team will implement the first cleanup in the pilot program, holding a cleanup on Chouteau Island, in the Mississippi River, today (April 1).

Six applicants were approved for grants of $2,000 each. They are Friends of the Chicago River, Friends of the Illinois River, the Lake Michigan Federation, Living Lands and Waters, ORSANCO (the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission), and the Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation and Development Inc.

Designated for $1,000 grants were Chicago Cares, Inc.; DesPlaines River Watershed Alliance; Fox Waterway Agency; Friends of the Fox River; Keep Salem Beautiful; Lake Forest Open Lands Association; Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders; Piasa Creek Watershed Education Team; River Forest Park District; Salt Creek Watershed Network; Northern Illinois Anglers Association; and The Conservation Foundation.

Receiving $500 grants will be the Boone County Conservation District, Chicagoland, Canoe Base Inc., Elgin High School; Flora Chamber/Boy Scout Troop 282, Friends of Critters and Salt Creek, Friends of Tyler Creek, Glenview Friends of Nature, Great Rivers Land Trust, Heartland Water Resources Council, Illinois Smallmouth Alliance, Izaak Walton League and Boy Scout Troop 10, Kennedy High School Canoe Club, Mackinaw Canoe Club, Salt Fork River Partners, Vermilion River Beautification Project, the village of Brookfield, the village of Northbrook, Waukegan Harbor Citizens Advisory Group and the Wildwood Nature Center.