(Atlanta - May 8, 2013) - The E.P.A. (EPA) announced today that it projects to award 2 communities in Kentucky with brownfield grants for new investments to provide backing necessary to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and create jobs while protecting human health.
"Brownfields sites are community assets and a key component of the Obama Administration's efforts to provide tools to sustainably revitalize communities and foster economic development," said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "Through these grant resources local communities can continue to assess, cleanup and redevelop properties to meet local needs for jobs, housing and recreation while protecting people's health and the local environment."
The Kentucky brownfield grant recipients are:
· Annville Institute/ Jackson Co. Ministries, Annville, Kentucky ($200,00 cleanup grant for hazardous substances)
· Benham, Kentucky ($200,00 cleanup grant for hazardous substances)
EPA's Brownfields Plan empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield location is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfields sites. Under this law, E.P.A. provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through 4 competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally, backing support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.
There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. In excess of 20,000 properties have been assessed, and In excess of 850 properties have been cleaned up through EPA's Brownfields program. EPA's Brownfields investments have also leveraged In excess of $19 billion in overall cleanup and redevelopment backing from public and private sources. On average $17.79 is leveraged for every E.P.A. Brownfields grant dollar spent. These investments resulted in approximately 87,000 jobs nationwide. When Brownfields are addressed, nearby property values can increase 2-3 percent. A 2011 pilot study indicated Brownfields location redevelopment increases location efficiency, which means that residents live closer to where they work and play reducing their commute times and greenhouse gas emissions. EPA's preliminary research has also shown that redeveloping Brownfield sites results in an efficient reuse of existing infrastructure and decreasing instances of stormwater runoff. These plans can have a positive impact on community revitalization by leveraging jobs, producing clean energy, and providing recreation opportunities for surrounding neighborhoods.
More information on Brownfields grants by state:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/
More information on EPA's Brownfields Plan
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
Success Stories
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm
Benefits
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/overview/Brownfields-Benefits-postcard.pdf
