COLLINSVILLE — Three metro-east cities and a port district were recognized Friday for taking measures to improve air quality in their communities.

The cities of Belleville, Glen Carbon and Alton along with America's Central Port in Granite City and Madison were bestowed with Clean Air City Awards during the second annual Metro East Air Quality Forum organized by the Madison County Partnership for Community Health and the University of Illinois Metro East Community Air Project.

Belleville was noted for being the first city in St. Clair County to become a Sierra Club Cool City. The city banned leaf and landscape waste burning and signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, which is helping the community secure an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant to retrofit several public buildings with more efficient lighting, windows and insulation. The city also encouraged redevelopment designed to increase access to the downtown area on foot by way of neighboring transit stations. The city plans to add a fleet of bicycles to each city building to encourage cycling between buildings instead of driving to reduce emissions.

Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert said these initiatives are "common sense," but took time and educating residents to achieve.

He said these changes were made for public health and city financial reasons.

"We look to do what's right and so save money," Eckert said. "We are proud with what we're doing with what will soon be a 200-year-old city."

Like Belleville, Glen Carbon banned leaf and landscape waste burning. Last July, the village authorized an official Sierra Club Cool Cities Committee by Ordinance. The village created a community-based electricity aggregation and the negotiation of 100 percent renewable energy into the village's electrical contract.

Village administrator Jamie Bowden said these choices "came down to doing the right thing."

"I think that is a quality of life issue," Bowden said. "I think it's the right thing to do and the right thing to do for the environment."

City leaders in Alton signed the Illinois Cool City Local Sustainability Protection Agreement, a set of goals and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2015. The city installed an electric vehicle charging station at City Hall, purchased two hybrid city vehicles, negotiated 100 percent renewable energy into the city electric contract through municipal electric aggregation and implemented a city-wide recycling program for residents. The city calculates its energy use and took numerous steps to be more energy-efficient by upgrading street lights and lighting at its public works building.

America's Central Port undertook its "Green Port" project to improve local air quality. The project includes a comprehensive waste management program and recycling program, a renewable energy program that includes a wind assessment and solar installation project. The port also established a plug-in station for electric vehicle and helped reduce diesel emissions through grants.

Contact reporter Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 239-2526.

Contact reporter Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 239-2526.