Illinois EPA Awards Solid Waste Enforcement Grants

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett has announced 19 grant awards totaling more than $1.5 million to local governments across the state to be used to conduct inspections at permitted pollution control facilities, such as landfills, and to investigate citizen complaints about illegal dumping.

To be eligible to receive a solid waste enforcement grant, local governments must first enter into delegation agreements with the Illinois EPA, in which they agree to hire and train landfill inspectors under the state's certification requirements.

“Partnering with local governments through delegation agreements benefits the Agency, local residents and local officials,” said Director Bonnett. “Local government officials are more familiar with their communities, and can respond to complaints in a timely manner.”

The Illinois EPA has partnered with local governments since 1987 to oversee operations at waste management facilities and enforce open dumping laws in Illinois. Local governments that have received funding for use in State Fiscal Year 2015 (through June 30, 2015) are:

With the delegation agreements, the Illinois EPA also delegates some of its authority to inspect solid waste management facilities to county departments. For Ambraw Valley Solid Waste Agency this would include Crawford, Richland and Lawrence Counties, and for the City of Chicago, this would only include those sites located within the city limits. These agencies are authorized to conduct many of the duties within their geographic boundaries that would otherwise be performed by the Illinois EPA’s regional inspectors including,  investigating violations of land pollution laws and reports of open dumping and inspection of permitted landfills, transfer stations and compost facilities.