The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is sounding the horn for partners to join the U.S. EPA's mission to clear the air at our ports. In a move to harness a more hands-on deck, the Illinois EPA has announced a Call for Partners for the federal Clean Ports Program, an initiative to sail toward a greener horizon with zero-emission technology.

This green wave comes as the U.S. EPA has hoisted up two Notices of Funding Opportunities worth a whopping $3 billion. The funds are earmarked for the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition, and the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition. According to the Illinois EPA, they're looking for qualified public and private organizations, ready to anchor down with them on planning and/or deployment applications – but you'll need to drop anchor by April 10.

Through a collaborative effort, interested parties are asked to respond with their proposals, as detailed in the Illinois EPA's Call for Partners document. Those selected will then set sail with the Illinois EPA through the choppy waters of the federal application process. The making of new partnerships is seen as a quintessential step towards cleaner ports and reduced pollution.

The Illinois EPA has cast a wide net in search of collaborative partners, with a committee of officials from Illinois EPA and other state agencies to weigh anchor on the proposals, all organizations that tie up with the state agency will have a hand in crafting the federal applications. The program stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit needed to combat the environmental challenges of our time. Interested organizations should steer their browsers to Illinois EPA's website, where the Call for Partners is docked at this link. Get all hands on deck because proposals are due to [email protected] by the scheduled date.