Clean Air Counts is a northeastern Illinois regional initiative to reduce ozone-causing emissions, thereby improving air quality and enabling economic development. It is a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region V, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Begun in 2000, Clean Air Counts provides an innovative non-regulatory approach to voluntarily reduce emission by promoting cost effective clean air strategies to help the region attain and maintain compliance with Federal standards.

Clean Air Counts is offering up to twelve lawn care buy-back grants to Chicago area municipalities. Administered through the City of Chicago Department of Environment, Energy and Air Quality Division, grant recipients will receive an award of up to $12,600 and technical assistance from the City of Chicago.

To participate in the Lawncare Buy-Back Grant Program, you must comply with the following guidelines:

• Applicant must be a municipality in the six county Chicagoland region
• Applicant must be a member of Clean Air Counts by joining the Campaign and adopting voluntary emission reduction strategies
• Applicant, if selected to receive funds, must complete a reporting form on its lawncare buy-back program. Information necessary to complete the form includes:
  1. Date and location of event
  2. Number and type of lawncare products retired at event
  3. Number and type of lawncare equipment purchased or number and type of vouchers distributed at event
  4. Explanation of how old lawncare equipment was destroyed
• Applicant, if selected to receive funds, must agree to mail to CAC copies of certification forms for exchanged equipment and copies of scrapping receipts or a letter verifying destruction of old equipment.