Bloomington part of state ash borer pilot program

BLOOMINGTON - The city of Bloomington has about 2,000 green and white ash trees around town that either need to be treated or removed because of the emerald ash borer.

It's a time- and money-consuming job. But according to The Pantagraph, Bloomington and some towns in up to seven counties will get help from a state pilot program.

Warren Goetsch is chief of environmental programs with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. He said the state is using $750,000 in its Forever Green Illinois program to help towns in Cook, DeKalb, McLean, McDonough, Sangamon, Jefferson and St. Clair counties, where trees are affected by the borer or other invasive pests.

Ash trees were once popular in areas of new construction because they grow fast. But ash-borer damage has made them a liability.