Gov. Blagojevich awards $535,000 in Anhydrous Ammonia Security Grants to fight meth production

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today awarded $535,000 in Anhydrous Ammonia Security Grants to 50 Illinois agrichemical dealers throughout the state. The funding will help these businesses secure their facilities to prevent the theft of anhydrous ammonia, a farm fertilizer and key ingredient used to manufacture methamphetamine. This is the second installment of grants since the Governor created the Anhydrous Ammonia Grant Program in August 2006, and furthers the Governor's efforts to reduce the production and manufacture of the illicit drug.         

                     

"Meth is a highly addictive drug that threatens families and entire communities.  This program helps farmers and agrichemical dealers protect anhydrous ammonia - to keep the chemical out of the hands of meth makers," Gov. Blagojevich said.

 

The Anhydrous Ammonia Security Grant Initiative is a self-help program.  It allows fertilizer dealers to determine their own security needs and then reimburses them for up to two-thirds of the cost of their improvements.  Eligible projects include the installation of tamper-proof locks on ammonia tanks, the purchase of lighting and video surveillance equipment and blending of additives that render the fertilizer useless in the production of methamphetamine.

 

"It's a growing problem.  More and more agrichemical dealers are dealing with the theft of anhydrous ammonia at their facilities.  These grants provide businesses with necessary funding to improve security and safety measures, which also will help protect their bottom line,"

Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said.

 

"Partnering with the State of Illinois to enhance security and prevent ammonia theft not only improves safety and security at ammonia facilities, but also helps protect everyone in rural Illinois who has been dealing with meth-related problems for nearly a decade now.  It is our hope that we can continue this valuable program in the future," Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, said.

 

Meth has become a growing crisis in the State of Illinois with prison admissions rising from only 6 in fiscal year 1999 to 421 in fiscal year 2004. The current prison population for Meth offenders is more than 800 with countless others in prison who are believed to have committed their offense while under the influence of the drug. In 2002, Illinois State Police seized 668 meth labs statewide and made 820 related arrests. By 2006, the number of seizures had grown to 786, and accounted for over 1,100 arrests.

 

Throughout his administration, Gov. Blagojevich has taken several actions to make it harder for meth producers to obtain ingredients, and to stiffen penalties for manufacturers and users.

 

Last Tuesday, the Governor announced more than $5.2 million in federal funds to help fight drug crimes in 64 counties throughout Illinois. The funding will be distributed to 28 multi-jurisdictional narcotics enforcement and narcotics prosecution units, and will be used to conduct undercover drug operations, crack down on methamphetamine labs, and prosecute drug offenders, among other programs.

 

Last year, the Governor created the Meth Prison Initiative, which included the creation of a 200-bed Meth Unit at the 667-bed Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center in St. Clair County. For FY 2008, the Governor proposes expanding the Sheridan Correctional Center from 950 offenders to its full capacity of 1,300 offenders, with 200 of those spaces to be used for another Meth Unit. Inmates in both programs will not only have access to intensive prison-based drug treatment programs, vocational training, job preparation and mental health services, but their treatment will continue upon completion of their sentence under a highly supervised transition back to their communities.

 

A complete list of 2007 grant awards is listed below.