Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2.79 Million in Brownfield Grants Through Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in Louisiana

 US EPA News Release:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2.79 Million in Brownfield Grants Through Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in Louisiana

Funded by $1.5 billion investment into Brownfields sites from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address legacy pollution, advance environmental justice, and create healthier communities

 

DALLAS, TEXAS (May 23, 2024)  –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $2.79 million in grant awards from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Louisiana while advancing environmental justice. These investments through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs will help transform once-polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets, while helping to create good jobs and spur economic revitalization in overburdened communities.

EPA selected the cities of Alexandria, Bogalusa and Baker and the Rapides Area Planning Commission for $2.79 million in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant programs.

“Far too many communities across America have suffered the harmful economic and health consequences of living near polluted brownfield sites,” said President Joe Biden. “I've long believed that people who’ve borne the burden of pollution should be the first to see the benefits of new investment. Under my Administration, we are making that a reality by ensuring the historic resources from my Investing in America agenda reach communities that need it most. I am proud that my Administration is helping Philadelphia clean up and transform this area into an economic engine, while tackling a longstanding environmental injustice and creating good-paying jobs.”

“President Biden sees contaminated sites and blighted areas as an opportunity to invest in healthier, revitalized communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That’s why he secured historic funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supercharging EPA’s Brownfields program to clean up contaminated properties in overburdened communities and bring them back into productive use.” 

“This announcement is a significant step toward revitalizing the community and addressing long-standing environmental and economic challenges. This grant will fund comprehensive environmental site assessments and support the development of cleanup plans, site reuse assessments, a revitalization plan, and a market study, alongside robust community engagement efforts. I was proud to help craft and vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which is delivering unprecedented support to our state. This grant is moving environmental justice forward, promises substantial economic revitalization and improved public health for the residents of Baker, and is fostering a brighter, more sustainable future,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02).

“Louisiana’s many successful Brownfields programs show the variety of ways big cities and small towns can leverage this funding to spur revitalization by cleaning up long-standing sources of contamination,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “Across the state, parishes and cities are making great investments for their residents with EPA’s Brownfields funding.”

Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources needed to initiate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects. As brownfield sites are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs, promote economic revitalization and transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places.

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity, and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.

EPA’s Brownfields Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Brownfields Program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations in all aspects of its work. Approximately 86% of the MAC and RLF Supplemental program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities.

State Funding Breakdown:

Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Program Selection

These Louisiana organizations have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs.

· The city of Alexandria has been selected for a $1,290,550 Brownfields Cleanup Grant for the 1-acre former Rush's Cleaners site at 210 Bolton Avenue, which is contaminated with volatile organic contaminants from leaking equipment and associated piping, and improper storage and disposal. Grant funds also will be used to update the city's existing Community Involvement Plan, update the brownfield project website, and conduct other community engagement activities.

· The city of Baker will receive a $500,000 for a Brownfields Assessment Grant to conduct 15 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to identify and evaluate additional sites, prepare four cleanup plans, conduct two site reuse assessments, prepare one revitalization plan and one market study, conduct two visioning sessions, prepare a Community Involvement Plan, and support community engagement. Priority sites include a vacant commercial strip mall and a former filling station and tire shop.

· The city of Bogalusa will receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to conduct 15 Phase I and eight Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to identify and prioritize additional sites, prepare six cleanup plans and one revitalization plan, conduct two site reuse assessments, conduct three visioning sessions, and support other community engagement activities. The grant will target the Poplas Neighborhood, the Terrace Neighborhood, and Richardson Town. Priority sites include seven downtown storefront properties in a state of disrepair and a former restaurant and bar.

· The Rapides Area Planning Commission will receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to conduct 14 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to identify and prioritize additional sites, develop three cleanup plans and one site reuse plan, and support community engagement activities, including the development of a Community Involvement Plan. The target area for this grant is the city of Pineville's Downtown Neighborhood, including a former dry cleaning facility on Main Street, the former Huey P. Long Charity Hospital site, and a former gas station located on Main Street.

To see the list of the FY 2024 Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup applicants selected for funding visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.

To see the list of RLF Supplemental funding recipients visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.

Additional Background:

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites to address the health, economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfields. EPA anticipates making all the awards announced today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. Prior to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program made approximately $60 million available each year. Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has now increased that yearly investment nearly 400 percent. More than half of the funding available for this grant cycle (approximately $160 million) comes from the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This investment has also allowed the MAC grants’ maximum award amounts to increase significantly from $500,000 to a new maximum of $5 million per award.

To see the list of the FY 2024 Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup applicants selected for funding visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.

 

To see the list of RLF Supplemental funding recipients visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.

 

To learn more about RLF Technical Assistance grant recipient visit EPA’s Brownfields Grow America webpage.

 

For more information on EPA’s Brownfields Program visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.     

 

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