E.P.A. provides $200K to advance the cleanup and revitalization of mine-impacted properties in Creede, Colorado

Funds part of $54 million to clean up and redevelop Brownfields sites across the country

(Denver, Colo. - May 28, 2015) The E.P.A. (EPA) today awarded the Lower Willow Creek Restoration Company $200K in Brownfields grant backing to clean up mine-impacted sites along Lower Willow Creek in Creede, Colorado. Today's announcement is among 243 E.P.A. grant investments totaling $54.3 million to 147 communities across the U.S. These grants will provide communities with backing necessary to assess, clean and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.

The Lower Willow Creek Restoration Company will use the E.P.A. Brownfields grant to cap and remove contamination in a target area known as the Floodplain Property, a highly visible location composed of alluvial rock and devoid of vegetation due to high concentrations of metals related to former mine waste processing activities at the site. Primary contaminants of concern include arsenic, lead and zinc. The effort to cap and re-vegetate the impacted area with a layer of clean soil will reduce the risk of wind-borne metals blowing into nearby areas and enhance groundwater and water quality in Willow Creek. The results of the cleanup will enhance the floodplain habitat and reduce exposure risks to nearby businesses, residents and recreational users.

"EPA Brownfields grants are helping communities like Creede address environmental risks and enhance the quality of important local water resources," said E.P.A. regional administrator, Shaun McGrath. "These types of investments not only address contamination, they also create new opportunities for people to live, play, and do business."

There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. EPA's Brownfields plan empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse these brownfields sites. Since the inception of the plan in 1995, cumulative brownfield plan investments have leveraged in excess of $22 billion from a variety of public and private sources for cleanup and redevelopment activities. This equates to an average of $17.79 leveraged per E.P.A. brownfield dollar expended. These investments have resulted in approximately 105,942 jobs nationwide.

More information on Brownfields grants by state: http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/

More Brownfields information:
Plan http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
Success Stories http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm

There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.