Press Release - Friday, February 23, 2007
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Illinois EPA's SCALE program celebrates fifth year of assistance to local stream and lake cleanups
SPRINGFIELD, -- Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott announced that 28 grants ranging from $500 to $3,500 and totaling $35,000 have been approved for local cleanups of streambanks, riverbanks and lakeshores under the Illinois EPA's Streambank Cleanup and Lakeshore Enhancement (SCALE) Program.
The grants come to Illinois from federal funding through the U.S. EPA. Illinois EPA uses the allocation to encourage local groups to carry out this kind of cleanup event. Illinois EPA provides the funding through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.
"These groups work locally to improve our stream and lake shores. Their efforts demonstrate a grass roots approach to protecting our environment," said Director Scott. "Illinois EPA is able to support these efforts with SCALE grants. The funding will make it easier for them to do that by helping with expenses like safety attire, litter bags, dumpster rentals or landfill fees, and other costs they have previously had to meet on their own."
This is the fifth year the Illinois EPA has funded community-based efforts through the SCALE program. Since 2003, 66 groups have held at least one SCALE event. A total of $185,500 have been paid by Illinois EPA to these groups. They have held more than 180 events that involved over 44,000 participants in local stream and lake cleanups. Together they collected over 2,200 tons of garbage from nearly 3,000 miles of streambanks and 2,200 acres of lakeshore.
The recipients, grant amounts and benefiting waterways for the 2007 SCALE grants are:
Three applicants were approved for grants of $3,500 each:
Friends of the Illinois River, for the Illinois River Watershed
Friends of the Chicago River, for the Chicago River
ORSANCO, for the Ohio River and tributaries
Eight applicants will receive $1,750 each:
Alliance for the Great Lakes, for Lake Michigan
Fox Waterway Agency, for the Fox River and Chain O'Lakes
Friends of the Parks, for multiple Chicago Parks sites
Northern Illinois Anglers Association, for the Kankakee and Iroquois rivers
Friends of the Fox River, for the Fox River and tributaries
Living Lands and Waters, for the Mississippi River
The Conservation Foundations, for the DuPage River, Salt Creek and tributaries
Thorn Creek Restoration Coalition, for Thorn Creek
Designated for $1,000 grants were:
Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, for the Mississippi River, Pool 12
Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders, Inc., for the Kaskaskia River
Salt Fork River Partners, for the Salt Fork River
Village of Northbrook, for the North Branch Chicago River
Receiving $500 grants will be:
Hegewisch Chamber of Commerce, for Wolf Lake and Indian Creek
Illinois Smallmouth Alliance, for the Kankakee River
Valley of the Fox Sierra Club, for the Fox River
Vermilion County Soil and Water Conservation District, for Lake Vermilion
Youth Conservation Corps, for the DesPlaines and Waukegan Rivers and Lake Michigan
Boone County Conservation District, for the Kishwaukee River 30
Dixon Park District, for the Rock River
Friends of the Sangamon Valley, for the Sangamon River
Keep Salem Beautiful, for the Salem City Reservoir
Kennedy High School Canoe Club, for the Des Plaines River
Round Lake Management Commission, for Round Lake
The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, for the Piasa Creek
Village of Lake Ka-Ho Board of Trustees, for Lake Ka-Ho, Macoupin County
Of these, 13 groups have been successful recipients of SCALE grants for all five years of the program. They are:
Alliance for the Great Lakes (Lake Michigan Federation), Boone County Conservation District, Friends of the Chicago River, Friends of the Fox River, Friends of the Illinois River, Illinois Smallmouth Alliance, Keep Salem Beautiful, Living Lands and Waters, Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders, Inc., Northern Illinois Anglers Association, ORSANCO, Salt Fork River Partners and The Conservation Foundation.
The application deadline for next group of SCALE grants is November 30, 2007. Visit Illinois EPA's website at www.epa.state.il.us for additional information.
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