COLLINSVILLE (June 5, 2024) – Communities looking to spruce up their publicly-owned properties will want to visit the Amerenillinois.com/grants site to learn more about Ameren Illinois’ Right Tree, Right Place program and the available grant money to help municipalities to fund planting trees near city halls, schools and libraries. Municipalities can also partner with the company’s vegetation management team to identify hazardous trees that are candidates for removal.
Properly placed trees save energy by providing summer shade and winter warmth with windbreaks. Hazardous trees in public rights-of-way that are dead, dying or otherwise unstable and threatening power lines, often require removal. The grants provide municipalities with a minimum of $500 for tree planting and removal projects.
"Many towns in our service territory need help maintaining or removing trees in their communities," said Rick Johnson, Vegetation Manager, for Ameren Illinois. "The Right Tree, Right Place program can help with that burden."
Grant funds can also be used for:
Trees growing in public rights-of-way, having the potential to interfere, or growing up toward powerlines will be considered for the program. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Ameren Illinois vegetation management team will coordinate tree removal with the municipality.
The municipality is responsible for the removal of debris. Applications are open from April – August. Funds will be awarded in November. Each municipality may submit one grant per year.
For more information please visit: amerenillinois.com/grants
About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and more than 800,000 natural gas customers throughout central and southern Illinois. Our service territory covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. Our mission is to power the quality of life. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com. Follow us on Twitter @AmerenIllinois and Facebook.