CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced $67,000 in planning grants that will help communities across Northwest Illinois improve their water, sewer and sanitation infrastructure. This aggressive effort to improve the quality of infrastructure and public facilities comes as a part of the Governor’s Opportunity Returns initiative, his comprehensive, pro-active strategy for restoring economic opportunity to the Northwest region.

“Investing in our infrastructure is critical to securing a stronger and brighter future for our state.  These planning grants will help build more vibrant, livable communities across Northwest Illinois that are better equipped to attract investment and support business growth and retention.  Community by community, we’ll continue working on the frontlines to expand economic opportunity and create a better quality of life for our working families,” Gov. Blagojevich said.    

The funds for this initiative are part of the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP), a federally-funded grant program that assists Illinois communities by providing grants to local governments to help them in financing economic development, public facilities and housing rehabilitation projects. The program is targeted to assist low-to-moderate income people by creating job opportunities and improving the quality of their living environment. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) administers the program.

“Northwest Illinois is an outstanding place to live and work, but we must continue to enhance our public infrastructure to enhance economic opportunity.  These grants will help upgrade the region’s infrastructure, which will mean more business growth and new jobs down the line.  Gov. Blagojevich and I believe this is another great example of how, by working together, we can help Northwest Illinois reach its economic potential,” said State Senator Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline).

“Gov. Blagojevich and I believe that creating greater economic opportunity begins with strengthening the core foundation of our communities.  By providing these Opportunity Returns grants, communities throughout the region will be able to make essential improvements to their infrastructure, which means a better economic climate for this entire region,” said State Rep. Mike Boland (D-Moline).

“This Opportunity Returns grant is a great example of how innovative partnerships between state and local government can accomplish key objectives that make an immediate and tangible impact in individual communities.  These are investments that will improve the foundation of our region and position it for more vigorous economic growth down the road," said State Rep. Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley).

Gov. Blagojevich has developed the following objectives for the CDAP program:

• Strengthen community economic development through the creation of jobs, stimulation of private investment and strengthening the tax base;

• Improvement of public infrastructure and elimination of conditions which are detrimental to health, safety and public welfare; and

• Conservation and expansion of the state's housing stock in order to provide a decent home and a suitable living environment for persons of low-to-moderate income and the developmentally disabled.

The CDAP Planning Assistance grants may be used for a variety of planning activities that are construction-oriented and focus on the needs of low-to-moderate income persons in the community.  Eligible planning activities include:  studies, data gathering analyses, preparation of specific plans and identification of implementing actions.  Planning projects that address problems of a health and safety nature, such as water and sewer problems, are a funding priority under this component.

The Northwest region’s grantees are:
Village of Apple River Jo Daviess	Study wastewater treatment system, develop action plan	24,000
City of Oglesby LaSalle	Prepare facility plan for wastewater treatment	20,000
City of Savanna Carroll	Study sanitary sewer system, develop action plan	23,000
		Total: $67,000

“The greatest strength of Gov. Blagojevich’s regional approach to economic development is that it allows us to focus on the unique needs of individual communities, and target our assistance to specific projects that local leaders have identified as being critical to economic revitalization.  These grants are a great example of this idea at work, and will allow vast improvements to be made where they are needed the most,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.