EPA Awards More Than $2 Million in Grants for Revitalizing Properties
Nine state or local governments are receiving supplemental grants from EPA to help return problem properties to productive use.
Approximately $2.2 million is being awarded to brownfields revolving loan funds grantees, the agency announced on July 26. Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
"Through our brownfields program, EPA continues to sow the seeds of environmental and economic success," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "The grants reflect the Bush Administration?s ongoing commitment of transforming blighted areas into sources of community rebirth."
In January 2002, President Bush signed the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, which authorizes annual funding for brownfields grants. EPA's brownfields program provides funding to state, local and tribal governments to make low interest loans and subgrants that fund cleanup activities at brownfields sites. Since 1997, grant recipients have executed 114 loans and awarded 13 subgrants to support brownfields cleanup totaling more than $53 million. The loan funds have leveraged more than $780 million in public and private cleanup and redevelopment investment.
More information on brownfields cleanup revolving loan fund pilots and grants can be found at http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/rlflst.htm.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2007 issue of Environmental Protection.