171 Communities to Receive EPA Brownfield Investment Grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 171 communities will receive 264 grants totaling $67 million in brownfields funding to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment. The FY14 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (ARC) grants will give communities and businesses a chance to return economic stability to under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods through the assessment and clean-up of abandoned industrial and commercial properties, places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

“Not only are these funds protecting the environment and public health by helping communities clean up blighted toxic waste sites, there are new job growth opportunities for local economies to leverage through these investments," said Gina McCarthy, EPA Administrator. “With cities looking at how to combat the impacts of climate change, it's more important than ever for communities to innovate new ways to retrofit formerly polluted sites into assets for the community."

This year several projects were selected to address sites identified in their Brownfields Area Wide Planning projects, including Lowell, Mass., which will focus on revitalizing an Industrial Park and Toledo, Ohio, which will clean up an old transmission plant. Other selected projects include future uses such as, river walks, a sports park, manufacturing and light industrial use, an eagle sanctuary facility and a technology corridor.

A total of approximately $23.5 million is going to communities that have been impacted by plant closures. Other selected recipients include tribes and communities in 44 states across the country; and more that 50 of the grants are going to HUD-DOT-EPA grant recipient communities.

Source: EPA