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News Releases from Region 01

Rhode Island Receives Over $1.2 million in EPA Brownfields Funding

06/13/2016
Contact Information: 
Emily Bender (bender.emily@epa.gov)
617-918-1037

BOSTON – EPA is awarding a total of $1,220,000 in Brownfield Grant funding to Rhode Island entities. The grants being awarded to Rhode Island are funded by EPA's Brownfields Assessment and Revolving Loan Fund program, and will provide communities with the funding they need to assess, clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.

In New England, since the beginning of the Brownfields program, EPA has awarded 374 assessment grants totaling $99.1 million, 73 revolving loan fund grants and supplemental funding totaling $90 million and 261 cleanup grants totaling $66.7 million. These grant funds have paved the way for more than $1.4 billion in public and private cleanup and redevelopment investment and for nearly 8,859 jobs in assessment, cleanup, construction and redevelopment. These investments and jobs target local, under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

In Rhode Island, the following Brownfields grants are being awarded this year:

Rhode Island Brownfields Grants:

  • RI Department of Environmental Management - $400,000 Assessment Grant
  • RI Infrastructure Bank - $820,000 Revolving Loan Fund Program

"EPA is proud to invest Brownfields dollars to cleanup and revitalize contaminated sites across Rhode Island. This work helps create jobs, and can be the catalyst to create new businesses, while making our environment cleaner and the community healthier," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA New England's office. "This is just one way EPA works to make a difference in communities all across New England."

"These grants provide a lot of benefits for our communities and neighborhoods. Using these funds to revitalize our state's brownfields improves public health, mitigates environmental damage caused by past contamination, and creates opportunities for future economic growth," said U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who oversees funding for all EPA programs.

"Pawtucket's Festival Pier is a great example of what can be accomplished when a community pulls together to reclaim a contaminated property and give it new life," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. "Congratulations to DEM and the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank on being awarded this federal funding that will help clean up other brownfields sites. Redeveloping brownfields is good for the health of Rhode Islanders, our environment, and our economy."

"Brownfields mitigation isn't just about cleaning up contaminated sites – it's also about returning usable space to our communities and preparing them for a future as open space or land to be used for economic growth," said Congressman Jim Langevin. "These funds will yield positive environmental, economic, and public health benefits, and I look forward to seeing them help us to successfully revitalize our state."

"These new federal grants will provide more than $1.2 million in resources to transform blighted, contaminated land into environmentally sound areas that can help grow our local economy," said Congressman David Cicilline. "Bringing these resources back to Rhode Island is critical for helping build healthier, stronger, and more secure neighborhoods that benefit all Rhode Islanders."

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