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EPA Awards Pulaski County, Arkansas, $400,000 in Brownfields Assessment Grants

Release Date: 06/06/2011
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Joe Hubbard at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(DALLAS – June 6, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Pulaski County, Arkansas, $400,000 in brownfields grants to conduct environmental assessments and community outreach activities in Little Rock and North Little Rock.

“Brownfields grants help to revitalize these contaminated sites,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz. “This grant builds on EPA’s commitment of working with communities to hand down a healthier, more prosperous future to the next generation.”

Pulaski County will receive $200,000 to conduct petroleum assessment activities, and an additional $200,000 to conduct hazardous substance assessment activities. The funds will be used to conduct assessments on brownfields that are located in the 17.2 square-mile Pulaski Empowerment Zone (EZ) in Little Rock and North Little Rock. Assessment of brownfields in the EZ will help identify potential threats to human health and the environment in some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in Pulaski County.

Brownfields are vacant, abandoned or under-used properties with redevelopment potential that suffer from known or perceived environmental contamination. Addressing the nation’s brownfields is an ongoing challenge for communities of every size. By focusing on redevelopment, properties are put back into productive use for communities while helping to keep undeveloped lands in their natural state.

More information on EPA’s brownfields program is available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/jun2011.html