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Rulemaking
The September 2nd edition of the Flinn Report showed that the following rulemaking of note was moved to Second Notice. The Illinois Works Jobs Program Act (14 IAC 680; 46 Ill Reg 3639) proposed 3/11/22 was moved to Second Notice by the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO).
This rulemaking will appear in this week’s Illinois Register and be considered at the September 13, 2022, JCAR meeting in Chicago.
The Illinois Works Job Program is a grant program designed to create a network of community-based organizations throughout the State that will provide preapprenticeship skills training. Participants may attend free of charge and receive a stipend, to create a qualified, diverse pipeline of workers who are prepared for careers in the construction and building trades.
This proposed rulemaking makes some changes regarding eligibility, allowable costs for grant expenditures as well as reporting and administrative requirements.
Read the proposed rulemaking here. Relevant reading begins on page 3639.
IDOT Begins Reconstruction of Key Corridor in Harvey, Dixmoor, Riverdale
Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) today joined local officials and community leaders to break ground on the reconstruction and overhaul of Wood Street/Ashland Avenue. This stretch is a key commercial, industrial, and residential corridor that runs through Harvey, Dixmoor, and Riverdale. The $94 million project will modernize 90-year-old infrastructure.
IDOT will be reconstructing more than three miles between 161st and 138th streets, completely rebuilding the four-lane road to include new curbs, gutters, and lighting. The project will also improve capacity, modernize traffic signals and turn lanes, implement smoother and safer railroad crossings, and include landscaping and aesthetic enhancements. The bridge over the Little Calumet River will be rehabilitated, and bike and pedestrian accommodations will be added throughout the corridor. The project also includes a new storm sewer system to address longtime drainage and flooding concerns, and the replacement of municipal water mains.
The entire project is expected to take two full constructions seasons to finish, with an anticipated completion date in 2025.
IDOT is designating $3.6 million in federal credits to help high-need communities reach their financial commitment for the local components of the project. Working on the project will be graduates of the Highway Construction Careers Training Program, an IDOT-initiative partnering with South Suburban College in South Holland and Kennedy-King College in Chicago.
DCEO: First REV Illinois Award to Central Illinois EV Supplier
On Tuesday, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) awarded the first Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) tax incentive package to T/CCI Manufacturing in Decatur.
In addition to REV incentives valued at $2.2 million, the State's Fiscal Year 2023 budget appropriated $21.3 million in capital grants to the City of Decatur and Richland Community College to create a first-of-its kind research and innovation facility and training program in partnership with T/CCI.
As part of the larger incentive package, the State's Fiscal Year 2023 budget included $15.3 million to Richland Community College and $6 million to the City of Decatur in capital grants to create an EV Innovation Cluster, including a Climatic Center for Innovation & Research Facility. The facility will be located on the T/CCI Decatur campus.
Richland Community College and T/CCI are working in partnership with the University of Illinois (UIUC) Grainger College of Engineering and Northern Illinois University on a training academy. The training academy will offer a new workforce training and development program with a focus on EV advanced engineering, software technology, a STEM pathways program, and accredited apprenticeship programs that offer world class training in electrification.
Illinois Waterway Update from Thomas D. Heinold, P.E. Chief, Operations Division - US Army Corps of Engineers
The following is a message from the US Army Corps of Engineers:
I wanted to provide this update on status of the 2023 Illinois Waterway Consolidated Closures. Supply chain issues and recent substantial increases in material costs are introducing significant challenges. As part of a plan to mitigate those issues, we separated several of the long lead time components from the construction contracts and awarded three supply contracts earlier this year. In addition, the largest of the three required construction contacts has been awarded for the Dresden Island Rehabilitation Project. Our overall closure schedule is contingent on Rock Island District awarding two additional construction contracts (Brandon Road, and Starved Rock/Marseilles) on timelines and with lead times necessary to start construction on 1 June 2023 at Brandon Road, Dresden Island, Marseilles, and Starved Rock Locks.
Our team is now tightly focused on addressing two high-risk challenges driven by recent material cost and supply chain challenges: securing additional funding to award the remaining contract work, and receiving the critical supplies necessary to complete all identified work within the scheduled closure window. While these risks pose the potential to delay the closures until 2024, USACE is doing all it can to secure additional funds sufficient to award remaining construction contracts this month. We are also actively working with contractors on the awarded contract schedules to find ways to ensure components are delivered on time.
While highly successful in the end, our 2020 Closures had to overcome multiple complex challenges and significant risk that required flexibility and adaptability for all involved. We will continue to apply that experience and the many lessons learned derived from it to help us resolve current challenges to maintain schedule for the 2023 Closures.
We value our relationship with our partners in the navigation industry and will continue to ensure all decisions are made in the mutual interest of maximizing safe and efficient transportation on the Illinois Waterway. Expect additional updates as we learn more. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.
Illinois EPA Invests Over $254 Million in Wastewater and Drinking Water Projects in Fourth Quarter of FY22
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is announcing the issuance of $254,355,659 in water infrastructure loans to local governments and sanitary districts for the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2022 (April – June 2022).
The Illinois EPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program provides low-interest loans which fund wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water projects. Thirty-three (33) of the forty-eight (48) loans qualified for a total of $14,950,368 in Disadvantaged Community Principal Forgiveness, providing additional benefits to those recipients meeting the loan rules for either the Small Community Rate or Hardship Rate.
In total for all of State Fiscal Year 2022, Illinois EPA issued $557,559,375 in wastewater, stormwater and drinking water infrastructure loans, which included $58,730,372 in Principal Forgiveness.
For more information on these loans, read the press release from IEPA here.
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