July 14, 2004—Communities in 42 states and Puerto Rico will share a record $75.4 million in EPA Brownfields grants to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use. The grants were announced in June by EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt at the site of a former metal foundry in Milwaukee that is being redeveloped as a light-industry business park.
In all, 219 applicants, including five tribal nations, were selected to receive 265 grants. The $75.4 million will provide:
- 155 assessment grants totaling $37.6 million to be used to conduct planning for eventual cleanup at one or more Brownfield sites or as part of a community-wide effort.
- 92 cleanup grants totaling $16.9 million to provide funding for grant recipients to carry out cleanup activities at Brownfield sites they own.
- 18 revolving loan fund grants totaling $20.9 million to provide funding for communities to capitalize a revolving loan fund (at low or zero interest) and to provide subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at Brownfields sites.
Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In addition to industrial and commercial redevelopment, Brownfields approaches have included the conversion of industrial waterfronts to river-front parks, landfills to golf courses, and rail corridors to recreational trails.
EPA’s Brownfields program encourages redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites. Since the beginning of the Brownfields program, EPA has helped create more than 27,000 jobs and awarded 554 assessment grants totaling over $150 million, 171 revolving loan fund grants totaling over $145 million, and 66 cleanup grants totaling $11.4 million.
For more information on Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment or the grant recipients, visit EPA/Brownfields.
