April 25, 2008—Communities in 43 states will share more than $74 million in brownfields grants to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use.
The grants, awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also go to two tribes and two US Territories. In all, 209 applicants were selected to receive 314 assessment, revolving loan fund, and cleanup grants, says EPA.
The brownfields program encourages industrial, commercial, or other redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites. Since the beginning of the program, EPA has awarded 1,255 assessment grants totaling more than $298 million, 230 revolving loan fund grants totaling about $217 million, and 426 cleanup grants totaling $78.7 million.
