Success Stories

Village of Downers Grove, IL is Reimbursed Over $21,500
submitted September 25, 2002

On November 11, 2001, the Village Hall in Downers Grove, IL received a threatening letter that suggested that anthrax had been released into the village's water supply. The letter was opened by a employee of the Village Hall and contained a blue-ish white powdery substance, also suspected to be anthrax. The Police and Fire Departments responded and followed all protocols related to the handling of suspicious substances. Water samples were drawn from 14 locations throughout the Village and were tested by a local firm. Samples and tests were also conducted on the substance found in the envelope containing the threatening letter. All results thankfully, came back negative.

No responsible parties were ever identified. The state informed the Village that they were not aware of any funding mechanism available to reimbursement emergency response to threatened releases of hazardous substances. The Village is also self-insured and therefore unable to recover costs from the insurance.

The Village then requested reimbursement from the EPA's LGR program for the costs associated with the testing of the water supply and the powder found in the envelope, as well as for overtime costs for the responders to secure the scene. The testing alone costed the Village over $21,000.

The Village of Downers Grove submitted an application signed by the mayor with all appropriate documentation (i.e., copies of all invoices, overtime paysheets for the responders as well as their rate of pay). Downers Grove, IL received reimbursement for $21,502.50 in June, 2002, for the cost of testing and overtime worked by the responders.