Thinking about going solar? Grow Solar Chicagoland is a great way to reduce your energy bills, support the local economy, and help create a healthier environment!

If you are a property owner in Cook, DuPage, Kane or Will counties, attend the free Solar Power Hour to learn more about the Grow Solar Chicagoland, a program that makes solar more accessible and affordable in our community.

Come learn about the basics of solar, its financial benefits, and how the solar group buy program can lower the cost of installing solar. After the session, you can schedule a free, no-obligation site assessment/cost estimate. growsolar.org/chicagoland. 

Kane County will be hosting a Solar Power Hour at 6:30pm on Tuesday, August 9th 2022 in the Kane County Auditorium located at Building A, 719 S Batavia Ave, Geneva, IL, 60134. You can RSVP at the Facebook event link here and please share with friends and family. There will be light refreshments.

Get in touch with the Grow Solar team with any questions – info@growsolar.org and please feel free to reach out to Kane County’s Resource Management Coordinator, Ivy Klee, for any questions – KleeIvy@co.kane.il.us. 

Kane County’s next confidential document shredding event is coming up later this month.

What: Free residential confidential document shredding. That's it and that's all - no other materials accepted for this event. 

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Where: Circuit Court Building/"Old Montgomery Wards", 540 S. Randall Road, St. Charles.

When: Saturday, August 13th, 2022 8am - noon. Rain or shine. Will be paused or called off in the event of t-storms or other weather hazards.

The Kane County Recycling Program Coordinator is still in need of volunteers for the event. Interested volunteers can register online here or contact Clair Ryan, Recycling Program Coordinator. Requirements for volunteers: 16+ years old, under 18 must have signed parental permission, and must be able to commit 2.5 hours or more on the 13th. All PPE and refreshments are provided for volunteers throughout the event.

Visit the Kane County Recycles page for complete details or contact Clair Ryan with questions. 

Grant funding to reconnect communities and reduce delay at railroad crossings now is available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is sharing information about grant opportunities while encouraging  partners to build regional consensus around the infrastructure law’s competitive programs and prioritize projects to maximize the benefits for our region.

Below is a partial summary of the IIJA grant programs for infrastructure improvements now accepting applications.

Reconnecting Communities

The pilot program supports communities that were disconnected from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure. A participating community will be able to use funding to build walkways under existing highways and other public improvements that can better connect communities to opportunities. Applications are due Thursday, October 13.

Railroad Crossing Elimination

Local governments and others can apply for more than $573 million in grant funding this year to improve safety and reduce lengthy delays at railroad crossings, under IIJA’s new Railroad Crossing Elimination program. Applications are due Tuesday, October 4.

Bridge Investment

The Federal Highway Administration is accepting applications for the Bridge Investment Program, which helps replace, rehabilitate, and preserve the nation’s bridges. More than $2.4 billion in grant funding is available for federal fiscal year 2022. The program also expands the list of eligible applicants to include all levels of government.

Applications for large bridge projects (eligible costs more than $100 million) are due Tuesday, August 9. Applications for smaller projects (less than $100 million) are due Thursday, September 8.

View CMAP's latest update on available IIJA infrastructure grants for details and links to additional program information.