Gov. Pat Quinn praised Orland Park for its focus on green infrastructure this week during a ceremonial bill signing at the village's LEED-certified police station.
"Orland Park is a real leader in thinking green and acting green," Quinn said. "We want to teach our state and teach the nation that what they have done over and over again in Orland Park can be done anywhere," he added.
The bill he signed Tuesday is designed to mitigate the kinds of damages wrought by the massive floods that hit Illinois in April by encouraging other towns to follow Orland Park's lead. It allows municipalities to upgrade their storm water management systems by building and investing in sustainable infrastructure.
The new law expands the list of measures cities and villages can implement — and pay for with special assessments, tax dollars or both — to prevent flooding. It now includes green alternatives such as green roofs, rain gardens, native planting and constructed wetlands.
Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
