Houston to Gain E.P.A. Grants for New Brownfield Investment to Boost Local Economy, Leverage Job Creation;

DALLAS - (May 28, 2014) The E.P.A. (EPA) announced today that the city of Houston will gain $400,000 to assess several sites throughout the city for petroleum and hazardous substance contamination. Nationwide, 171 communities will gain 264 grants totaling $67 million in brownfields backing to clean and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.

"Brownfields grants represent a win-win-win for the environment, economy, and people of Houston," said E.P.A. Regional Administrator Ron Curry. "Revitalizing these contaminated sites turns them into assets for the community."

Houston will gain $200,000 to assess 9 sites with potential hazardous substance contamination. Another grant of $200,000 will go toward assessments of 7 sites with potential petroleum contamination. Both grants will also be used to inventory brownfields sites, prepare cleanup plans, and conduct community outreach activities.

The FY14 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) grants will give communities and businesses a chance to return economic stability to under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods through the assessment and clean-up of abandoned industrial and commercial properties, places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

A total of approximately $23.5 million is going to communities that have been impacted by plant closures. Other selected recipients include tribes and communities in 44 states across the country; and over 50 of the grants are going to HUD-DOT-EPA grant recipient communities.

Since the inception of the EPA's Brownfields plan in 1995, cumulative brownfield plan investments have leveraged in excess of $21 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 93,000 jobs nationwide. These plans demonstrate the positive impact a small investment of federal brownfields backing can have on community revitalization through leveraging jobs, producing clean energy, and providing recreation opportunities for surrounding neighborhoods. EPA's Brownfields Plan empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields sites.

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/

Connect with E.P.A. Region 6:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6
Activities in E.P.A. Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm

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