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U.S. EPA announces $2.6 million for Minnesota brownfields

Release Date: 5/11/2005
Contact Information:

CONTACT: (EPA) Mick Hans, (312) 353-5050

For Immediate Release
No. 05-OPA062

CHICAGO (May 11, 2005) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $2.6 million to five communities and government consortiums to help address brownfield sites in Minnesota. Brownfields are abandoned or under-utilized properties where the stigma of possible pollution or a lack of solid technical information has discouraged redevelopment.

"EPA's Brownfields program puts both property and people back to work," said Region 5 Acting Administrator Bharat Mathur. "The grants we're awarding today to Minnesota communities can convert eyesores into engines of economic rebirth."

Nationally, EPA announced $75.9 million in grants today. A total of 218 applicants, including three tribal nations, were selected to receive 291 grants. One category of grants provides funds to evaluate contaminated properties. Another category provides funds to do cleanup work. Eleven other applicants around the country will receive job training grants.

Grant recipients in Minnesota:

• Duluth: $400,000 (two grants) for conducting hazardous substance and petroleum assessments, supporting community involvement activities and developing cleanup plans for sites in the western part of the city and in the central commercial core.
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board: $200,000 for placing clean fill over contaminated areas of the B.F. Nelson park site, an undeveloped 12-acre property on a bank of the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development: $1 million to capitalize a revolving loan fund that provides loans and grants to cleanup projects on sites contaminated by petroleum.
• New Brighton: $600,000 (three grants) for assessing possible hazardous substances and petroleum pollution on 14 properties covering 100 acres in the Northwest Quadrant Redevelopment Area and for conducting community involvement activities and cleanup projects on three properties located on the Old Miller Dump site in the Northwest Quadrant area.
• South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority: $400,000 (two grants) for assessing hazardous substances and petroleum pollution as well as developing four to eight site cleanup plans and conducting community outreach activities on parcels in the BridgePoint Business Park, North Concord Corridor, Concord Exchange and other sites.