Locals receive federal help for brownfields

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $27.6 million in grants to local governments across the country to help clean up abandoned and contaminated industrial and commercial facilities. The grants were awarded under the agency’s Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund program and the Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot program.

In early May, 13 local government agencies received $1 million each from the Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund program. The grants capitalize local government programs that, in turn, provide no-interest or low-interest loans to businesses to clean up brownfields.

The recent recipients are Coralville, Iowa; El Paso, Texas; Kenosha, Wis.; Madera County, Calif.; Milwaukee; Monroe, Mich.; Montgomery County, Pa.; Oakland County, Mich.; Santa Rosa, Calif.; Southern Windsor Regional Planning Commission, Vt.; Springfield, Ohio; Taylor, Mich.; and Worcester, Mass. Since its inception in 1997, the Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund has financed 143 grants totaling almost $91 million.

Two weeks after the EPA awarded the revolving loan grants, 80 cities and counties received $14.6 million in grants from the Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot program. The grants help fund the assessment of brownfields and help agencies continue or expand their existing brownfields programs. Thirty-eight communities received an average $200,000 each for new Assessment Demonstration Pilots, and 42 communities received Supplemental Assistance grants of $100,000 to $200,000 each for existing Assessment Demonstration Pilots. For a complete list of grant recipients, visit www.epa.gov/epahome/headline_052002.htm.

For more information about grants and other resources available for brownfields remediation projects, visit www.epa.gov/brownfields.