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$6.3 million in brownfields funding for communities

Release Date: 05/12/2006
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

"Brownfields reclamation is one of the great environmental success stories of the past decade. The grants announced today will help reclaim Pennsylvania properties that have been unused for years, and turn those sites into assets for the community, the environment, and the economy,” said Donald S. Welsh, EPA regional administrator for the mid-Atlantic region.

Pennsylvania will get $2.5 million

The grants will fund assessments of sites that have potential for reuse, but are perceived to contain environmental pollution. The following recipients will conduct community-wide assessments for sites with hazardous substances or petroleum:

- The City of Philadelphia ($200,000)
- Palmerton Borough, Carbon County ($200,000)
- Allegheny County Redevelopment Authority ($200,000)
- West-to-West Coalition, 21 local governments in Western Pennsylvania's Monongahela River Valley ($200,000)
- Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington ($400,000)
- Bucks County Redevelopment Authority ($400,000)

Brownfield Grants Announced – 5/12/06

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- Taylor Borough, Lackawanna County ($350,000) to assess the Taylor Colliery site

In Pennsylvania, EPA has also awarded cleanup grants to:

- Washington County Authority ($200,000) for the Sherwood Towers property
- Washington County Authority ($150,000) for the Maintenance Shops property
- Johnstown Redevelopment Authority ($200,000) for the Rosedale KOZ/Ore Yard site

West Virginia will get $1.4 million

The majority of the eight grants will fund assessments of sites that have potential for reuse, but are perceived to have environmental pollution. The following recipients will conduct community-wide assessments of sites that may be contaminated by hazardous waste:

- Point Pleasant, Mason County ($200,000)
- City of Ranson, Jefferson County ($200,000)
- Monongalia County ($198,046)
- Wyoming County Economic Development Authority ($200,000)
- West Virginia Economic Development Authority ($200,000)

EPA has also awarded cleanup grants for:

- Quality Foundry, City of Clarksburg, Harrison County ($80,000)
- Former Adamston Flat Glass site, City of Clarksburg ($150,000)
- Former Barboursville Brickyard, Village of Barboursville, Cabell County ($200,000)

Delaware will get $1.2 million

A $1 million grant will establish a revolving loan fund managed by the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Communities will be able to borrow the funds at low-interest to undertake brownfields cleanup and assessment projects.

Funds for city-wide assessment for hazardous substances:

- City of Wilmington ($200,000)

Maryland will get $600,000

EPA has awarded cleanup grants to:

- Center for the Aquatic Life and Conservation, Baltimore ($200,000)

- City of Baltimore ($200,000) for the 101 West Garrett Street site

A community-wide assessment grant was awarded to the:

- Baltimore Development Corporation ($200,000)

Virginia will get $600,000

- City of Roanoke ($400,000) - $200,000 for hazardous substance site assessment, $200,000 for petroleum site assessment
- City of Richmond ($200,000) - community-wide assessment

The reuse of brownfields builds stronger communities. Productive brownfields sites improve the economic vitality of a town and its environment. For more information on the grants announced today, please visit EPA’s website: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/archive/pilot_arch.htm.

Since its inception in 1995, the Brownfields program has awarded 883 assessment grants totaling $225.4 million, 202 revolving loan fund grants totaling $186.7 million, and $42.7 million for 238 cleanup grants.

Nationwide, EPA’s brownfields assistance has leveraged more than $8.2 billion in private investment, helped create 37,525 jobs, and resulted in the assessment of 8,374 properties and the cleanup of 93 properties. The funds are being made available under the Brownfields legislation signed into law by President Bush on January 11, 2002.