News Releases from Region 05

EPA Brownfields Funding Announced for Calhoun County, Genesee County, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, St. Clair County and Tuscola County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31, 2017

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selected 172 communities and organizations across the country, including Calhoun County, Genesee County, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (Bloomingdale Township), St. Clair County and Tuscola County in Michigan, to receive funding for brownfields site revitalization to help local governments redevelop vacant and unused properties, transforming communities and local economies.

“EPA is committed to working with communities to redevelop Brownfields sites which have plagued their neighborhoods. EPA’s Assessment and Cleanup grants target communities that are economically disadvantaged and include places where environmental cleanup and new jobs are most needed," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. "These grants leverage considerable infrastructure and other investments, improving local economies and creating an environment where jobs can grow. I am very pleased the President’s budget recognizes the importance of these grants by providing continued funding for this important program.”

The following communities and organizations in Michigan were selected to receive funding:

• The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality was selected to receive a $200,000 Brownfields Cleanup Grant to remediate contamination from petroleum storage tanks at the Pullman Industries site in Bloomingdale Township.  After the cleanup, the site will be made available for new industrial development and a portion of the property will be reserved for public access to the nearby Kal-Haven trail.
• The Calhoun County Land Bank Authority was selected to receive a $600,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to focus its redevelopment efforts, in partnership with the cities of Battle Creek and Albion, on the West Michigan/Hamblin Corridor in Battle Creek, the Harvard Industries area in Albion, and the Brownlee Park neighborhood in Emmet Township.
• The Genesee County Land Bank was selected to receive a $300,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant and two Brownfields Cleanup Grants totaling $252,000 to continue environmental investigations of properties in Flint that have redevelopment potential.  The cleanup grants will fund the safe removal of asbestos and lead-based paint from buildings at 2320 and 2360 Pierson Road in Flint.
• Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation was selected to receive a $600,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant so that Tuscola County, in partnership with Huron and Sanilac Counties, can investigate environmental conditions at properties in the towns of Caro, Sebewaing, Harbor Beach, Marlette and Vassar.  Using a previous EPA brownfields grant, the county assessed nearly two dozen properties and supported redevelopment projects that retained 51 existing jobs and created 35 new jobs.
• The St. Clair County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority was selected to receive a $400,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to focus on the cities of Port Huron and Marysville and Port Huron Township, in partnership with other local governments. A previous EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant to the redevelopment authority supported the investigation of 800 acres of property and contributed to the creation of over 1,400 new jobs and investments exceeding $160 million.

Studies have shown that residential property values near brownfields sites that are cleaned up increased between 5 and 15 percent and can increase property values in a 1.24-mile radius of that site. A study analyzing data near 48 brownfields sites shows an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue was generated for local governments in a single year after cleanup. This is two to seven times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to those brownfields.

As of May 2017, more than 124,759 jobs and $24 billion of public and private funding have been leveraged as a result of assessment grants and other EPA brownfields grants. On average, $16.11 was leveraged for each EPA brownfields dollar and 8.5 jobs leveraged per $100,000 of EPA brownfields funds expended on assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan fund cooperative agreements.

List of the FY 2017 Applicants Selected for Funding: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-list-fy17-grants-selected-funding

About EPA’s brownfields program: https://epa.gov/brownfields.

Successful brownfields stories: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-success-stories.