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2007 Illinois Annual Air Quality Report
The 2007 Illinois Annual
Air Quality Report presents a summary of air quality
data collected throughout the State of Illinois during the calendar year
- 2007. Monitoring was conducted at over 80 different site locations
collecting data from more than 200 instruments.
Green Youth Awards
The IEPA is now accepting applications for the 2009 Green
Youth Awards. Get complete program information
and download the application packet today.
Mercury Vehicle Switches: Under a new state law, beginning
Sept. 1, 2008, all mercury-containing
switches from scrap or “end of life” vehicles must be
removed for recycling by vehicle recycling facilities. Details on the
law are contained in the new Compliance
Advisory for Mercury Vehicle Switch Removal. The IL EPA has also developed
a guidance
manual to assist with locating and recycling switches.
2008 TRI reports may be submitted by using CDX Internet reporting through
USEPA or hardcopy, diskette, or CD.
Pharmaceuticals: The sampling results and report on
a pilot
project to test public water supplies for pharmaceuticals are
now available. A news release is also available.
Web Site
Survey: Please help us improve our website by taking this
online web survey. This 2-5 minute anonymous survey will be used
to improve the user experience of our web and help us better
connect with general public and its needs.
Vehicle Emission Testing: See the latest
information on Illinois' Vehicle Emissions Testing Program including
License Plate Renewal-Based Enforcement. Beginning in January 2008,
vehicles must pass an emissions test or otherwise comply with the
Illinois Vehicle Emissions Inspection Law before the vehicle's
registration (license plates) can be renewed. Previously, the program
was enforced through the suspension of drivers' licenses and vehicle
registration (license plates).
DecaBDE: Illinois EPA has completed a new " Report
on Alternatives to the Flame Retardant DecaBDE: Evaluation of
Toxicity, Availability, Affordability, and Fire Safety Issues."
Right to Know: Information and related resources on implementation of the "right
to know" law enacted in 2005 that provides for expanded notification
of citizens potentially impacted by contamination is now available
on our Right
to Know page.
Radiation
and Groundwater - Recently, Illinois EPA has been made aware
of tritium leaking into groundwater from spills at several nuclear
power generating plants in the state – at Byron, Dresden
and Braidwood. In an effort to keep citizens well informed, the
Agency will be posting links for fact sheets, news releases and
other Illinois EPA documents as well as provide links to other
sites regarding tritium.
Newsletter: You can now subscribe
to our quarterly email newsletter, the Citizens'
Bulletin. |
 IEPA chief toxicologist Dr. Tom Hornshaw discussed the agency's pilot sampling for pharmaceuticals and personal care products during the "Meds with Water, not in Water" Summit Conference held on October 1.
 The Illinois EPA’s float won the
top honor --- the Governor’s Sweepstakes Award
--- in the Illinois State Fair Twilight Parade on August 7 in Springfield.
Inspired by the Indiana Jones adventure films, the float featured a boulder
of trash rolling down to destroy the “Temple of Earth” that is stopped by
an environmentally responsible family working to reduce its carbon footprint.
 The
latest,
Winter-Spring 2008, issue of
IEPA’s
Environmental Progress magazine is
now available online. It includes articles on young Illinois environmentalists,
tips on living and working “green,”
clean air, responsible waste disposal, and the recent retirements of
longtime top IEPA leaders.
 Illinois residents and businesses impacted by the recent flooding can find
useful information on recycling flood waste, proper disposal of appliances,
sealed drums and propane tanks, landfilling flood waste, including a
special solid waste fee exemption, disposal of
clean fill and burning flood waste, as well as drinking water concerns
in our new flood cleanup fact sheet.
The new fact sheet also contains several
IEPA contact numbers for staff assistance to flood victims.
 IEPA Director Doug Scott (left) announced
an initial $8.3 million loan through IEPA that will enable Rockford to proceed with a major rehab of its public water
supply. Accepting a ceremonial check on June 16 were (left to right) Rockford Water Superintendent
Tim Holdeman and Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey.
 The 2008
Governor’s Environmental Corps interns started orientation on
June 2. First row (left to right): Ola Ajayi, Matt Moore, Colleen Kelly, Rachel Petter, Rachael Tibbs, Jumaani
Bates. Second row (left to right): Ashley Foster, Emily Sullivan, Aimee Lemrise, Anna King, Lauren Clayton, Jenny
Spotts, Dorcas Collins, Rachel Grove, Mike Gammon, Whitney Cox. Third row (left to right): Phillip Paschal, Micky
Kudia, Audrey Masawi, Amanda Metz, Erin Shanle, Carlie Beranek, Emily Woods, A.J. Campbell, Brad Broughton. Fourth
row (left to right): Mark Killian, Kevin Rohling, Kyle Nevill, Nathan Michaud, Matt Luedke, Hadlin Sun, Sean Egan,
Nathan Albrecht, Andy Somor.
 The 2008
IEPA Pollution Prevention Interns posed for a group photo
during a break from a training session in Springfield. Front row (left
to right): Alex Vukojev, Derek Perry, Eric Nussbaum, Chuck Hoover,
Eric Miller, Matt Jeffers and Luan Daves. Back row (left to right):
Brian Rodely (staff coordinator), Virginia Palmer, Olaoluwa Afolayan,
Jon Langenfeld, Scott Nelson, IEPA Director Doug Scott, Carl Todd, Jefferey
Rohrich, Britt Mork, Ashia Small, Richard Reese (staff coordinator).
P2 interns Christina Mayberry and Jeff Schuurman were not present for
the photo.
 IEPA
Bureau of Water staff members Jim Hefley (foreground) and Tim Kelly
(hand in aquarium) presented
“Macroinvertebrate Mayhem” to fourth graders during the annual Earth
Stewardship Day in Springfield on May 6.
 Allison
Ramsey of Southeastern High in Augusta was one of the Illinois
EPA Environmental
Excellence Award winners at the State Science Exposition in
Champaign on May 3.
 Students
at St. Mary’s School in Metamora, who promoted the use of compact
fluorescent light bulbs, were among the 2008
Governor’s Green Youth Award winners recognized on May 1 by
IEPA Director Doug Scott.
 A new
fact sheet on how to dispose of unused medications in an
environmentally responsible way to keep them from getting in
drinking water supply sources is now available.
 Some
of the more than 1,000 Boy Scouts who participated in the 20-mile
Lincoln Trail Hike from New Salem State Park to Springfield
on April 26, take a break from collecting litter along the route.
 Fifth
and Sixth grade students from across the state whose creative entries
were judged the top finalists in the IEPA’s 21st annual Poster,
Poetry and Prose Contest, were presented
their awards by IEPA Director Doug Scott on April 5 in Springfield.
The latest Illinois
Annual Air Quality Report, for 2006, with outdoor air quality
results from IEPA's extensive air monitoring network, is now
available online.
 Leonard
Louie (center), President of the Ping Tom Memorial Park Advisory
Council, discusses plans for further improvements at the park that
serves the Chinatown neighborhood of Chicago. An
Illinois EPA IRID cleanup began removing illegally-dumped materials
from an undeveloped part of the park on March 10. Others participating
in an event at the park on March 17 were (front left), U.S. Sen.
Dick Durbin of Illinois, who has secured federal funding for the
park, IEPA Director Doug Scott (back, center), Chicago Alderman
Danny Solis (third from right), and Art Richardson of the Chicago
Park District (second from right), along with several members of
the community.
 The
second Illinois EPA Biennial Report,
providing extensive information on Agency activities for calendar
years 2005 and 2006 and other environmental information, is now
available online.
 IEPA
Director Doug Scott (left) announced a $950,000
grant on Oct. 2 to the City of Bloomington for a "green" development
enhancing Kickapoo Creek and including innovative stormwater management
approaches. Accepting a ceremonial big check was Bloomington Mayor
Steve Stockton (right).
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