The Cook County flag flies outside the county government building in downtown Chicago. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

On Thursday, Cook County announced the launch of the Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program, an initiative helmed by the county’s Department of Environment and Sustainability and funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.   

The program is the latest environmental sustainability endeavor that is ARPA-funded. Cook County received $1 billion in federal pandemic relief funds in 2021, which has since been used for myriad programs related to economic assistance, public safety, climate action and infrastructure. The county has committed $100 million in ARPA funds toward environmental and climate related efforts, according to the county board president’s office.