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EPA: $10.3 Million in grants for contaminated land cleanup, economic development in Michigan Grant amount bolstered by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds

Release Date: 05/08/2009
Contact Information: Mick Hans, 312-353-5050, hans.mick@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-OPA079

(Chicago – May 8, 2009) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced today the availability of an estimated $10.3 million in grants bolstered by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to help communities in Michigan clean up sites known as “brownfields” which may be contaminated by hazardous chemicals or pollutants. The grants which include $2.5 million from the Recovery Act and $7.8 million from the EPA brownfields general program funding, help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use.

“Cleaning and reusing contaminated properties provides the catalyst to improving the lives of residents living in or near brownfields communities,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “A revitalized brownfields site reduces threats to human health and the environment, creates green jobs, promotes community involvement and attracts investment in local neighborhoods.”

“Providing these grants to Michigan communities is an important step forward for both the environment and local economies,” said Bharat Mathur, acting regional administrator.

Applicants selected to receive Recovery Act funds are:

Battle Creek (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to update the city’s brownfields inventory and conduct 18 site assessments, and a $200,000 grant to assess properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Ingham County (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 18 site assessments, and a $100,000 grant to conduct eight site assessments at properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Jackson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, $1 million revolving loan fund grant to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances. The Authority is targeting properties along the West Michigan Avenue Corridor.

Lenawee County, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 26 site assessments.

Lincoln Park, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 18 site assessments.

Roscommon County, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 19 site assessments.

Van Buren County, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 23 site assessments.

Applicants selected to receive brownfields general program funds are:

Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 18 site assessments.

Bay City (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to conduct at least 16 site assessments, and a $200,000 grant to assess properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Benton Harbor (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 20 site assessments, and a $100,000 grant to conduct 10 site assessments at properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Downriver Community Conference (2), a $1 million grant to assess hazardous substances and potential petroleum contamination at 90 properties throughout 14 member communities, and a $1.5 million revolving loan fund grant to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances.

Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct about 50 site assessments, and a $200,000 grant to conduct assessments at properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Hastings, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to conduct 18 site assessments.

Huron County (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct up to 16 site assessments, and a $200,000 grant to conduct assessments at properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Lake County (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct 21 site assessments, and a $200,000 grant to conduct assessments at 27 properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Muskegon, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to conduct about 20 site assessments.

Oakland County, $1 million grant to inventory brownfields and assess hazardous substances and potential petroleum contamination at about 90 properties.

Saginaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, $1 million grant to assess hazardous substances and potential petroleum contamination at about 70 properties.

St. Joseph County Economic Development Corporation, $200,000 grant to assess potential petroleum contamination at up to 20 properties.

Ypsilanti (3), $600,000 total, $200,000 each for three hazardous substances cleanup grants to address properties on East Michigan Avenue and South River Street.

The grants will help to assess, clean up and redevelop abandoned, contaminated properties known as brownfields. Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. In addition, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 expanded the definition of a brownfield to include mine-scarred lands or sites contaminated by petroleum or the manufacture of illegal drugs. Grant recipients are selected through a national competition. The Brownfields Program encourages development of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at Recovery.gov.

More information on brownfields cleanup revolving loan fund pilots and grants and other brownfields activities under the Recovery Act: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/.

Additional information on the EPA Region 5 brownfields recipients and their projects is available at https://www.epa.gov/r5brownfields/.