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More Funds to Help Revitalize Properties

Release Date: 03/28/2006
Contact Information: Roxanne Smith, (202) 564-4355 / smith.roxanne@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. – March 28, 2006) An aquatic educational center housed in an environmentally friendly building sits on a cleaned up dump site. A former locomotive repair and fueling yard is being turned into housing units, shops, and restaurants. Thanks to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 12 state or local governments will be able to continue projects like this due to supplemental money awarded for their brownfields revolving loan funds.

"President Bush and EPA are committed to turning problem properties back into community assets – putting both people and property back to work," EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson said. "These brownfields grants will help communities across America convert their environmental eyesores into a source of local pride. When people are proud of their communities, they are invested in each other and in the future of their neighborhoods."

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 104 loans and awarded 10 subgrants to support brownfields cleanup totaling more than $49 million. The loan funds have leveraged more than $500 million in public and private cleanup and redevelopment investment.

More information on brownfields cleanup revolving loan fund pilots and grants: epa.gov/brownfields/rlflst.htm

General information on EPA's Brownfields program: epa.gov/brownfields

The following state and local governments received the brownfields supplemental money.

California
Anaheim Redevelopment Agency ($450,000)
City of Oakland ($385,000)

Connecticut
City of Bridgeport ($250,000)

Maine
City of Lewiston ($225,000)
City of Portland ($355,000)

Massachusetts
City of Gloucester ($300,000)

Michigan
City of Monroe ($200,000)
City of Wyandotte ($300,000)

Missouri
St. Louis County Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority ($500,000)

Ohio
Cuyahoga County ($400,000)

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Economic Development Corp. ($390,000)

Washington
Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development ($500,000)