19 Illinois communities get landfill grants

SPRINGFIELD - Local governments will get more than $1.5 million in grants to inspect pollution-control facilities such as landfills and to investigate complaints about illegal dumping, Illinois officials said Tuesday.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced grants to 19 communities. Local officials must use the money to hire and train landfill inspectors under state requirements.

EPA Director Lisa Bonnett says partnerships with local authorities help taxpayers. She says city and county officials are more familiar with their communities and can respond to complaints more quickly.

The partnership program began in 1987.

The delegation of state authority includes investigating violations of land pollution laws and open-dumping reports, and inspections of permitted landfills, transfer stations and compost facilities.

Money will be awarded to the Ambraw Valley Solid Waste Agency, which includes Crawford, Lawrence and Richmond counties and the city of Chicago. Other counties receiving grants include Christian, DuPage, Jackson, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Madison, McHenry, Montgomery, Ogle, Perry, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell, Vermilion, Wayne and Will.