Illinois’ U.S. Senators – Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) – jointly announced on Thursday a total of nearly $15 million in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants for the Illinois EPA.
The $14,772,472 funding is split across and between two separate grants, and will support the IEPA’s mission to provide a clean, livable environment, clean air, as well as water sources for all Illinoisans.
The funding will go toward streamlining IEPA operations and strengthening the partnership between EPA and the state, while also supporting statewide programs within the Bureaus of Air, Water, and Land, including conducting inspections, issuing permits, reporting data, monitoring air and water quality, and taking other enforcement actions.
Senator Durbin noted that:
“Illinoisans deserve safe air to breathe and clean water to drink. Illinois EPA works diligently each day to make that a reality by preventing and addressing environmental threats. These significant resources that EPA has allocated to our state supports IEPA’s efforts to address environmental concerns and protect Illinois’ natural resources through data-driven and transparent enforcement and compliance initiatives.”
While Senator Duckworth said that:
“When we protect and clean up Illinois’s air and water, we are protecting the health and safety of our communities. As co-founder of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, I’m proud to see the Biden Administration make this commitment to help ensure families across Illinois have the cleaner air and water they need and deserve.”
