Biden-Harris Administration Announces $4,000,000 in Brownfield Grants Through Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in Arkansas

 US EPA News Release:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $4,000,000 in Brownfield Grants Through Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in Arkansas

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 $4 million in grants from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Arkansas while advancing environmental justice. These investments through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) 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 Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment and the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District for more than $3 million total in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant programs. In addition, EPA is announcing $1 million in supplemental funding to existing, high-performing Brownfields RLF Grant Programs to help expedite their continued work at sites in Arkansas.

“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.” 

“The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment and Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District have impressive records of getting the most out of Brownfields funding by effectively investing in assessment and cleanup efforts to benefit both urban and rural areas,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “These historic funding amounts from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will help revitalize more properties and clean up more neighborhoods.”

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

The following organizations in Arkansas have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs.

Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment has been selected to receive $1 million 15 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop five cleanup plans and conduct community engagement activities. Priority sites include five small vacant and dilapidated commercial and residential buildings in downtown Earle; a former auto repair site in the West Memphis Broadway Corridor, and a fire station, a former bulk oil and chemical distribution facility, and the Booker Arts Magnet School in East Little Rock.

Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District, Inc., is receiving $2 million to cleanup wing of the former Warner Brown Hospital in the city of El Dorado. The 2.7-acre cleanup site operated as a hospital and has been vacant since 2015. It is contaminated with heavy metals and inorganic contaminants. Grant funds also will be used to develop a Community Involvement Plan and conduct community engagement activities.

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.

Non-competitive Supplemental Funding Through the Existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Program

EPA is announcing $1 million in non-competitive supplemental funding to successful existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant programs that have already achieved success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfield sites. RLF Grants provide funding for recipients to offer loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. The funding announced today will help communities continue to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfield sites.

Pulaski County Brownfields Program has been selected to receive $1 million to help underserved areas in Pulaski County. The RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to 19 cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Potential projects highlighted for use of the BIL funding include the former hotel and job training site and the Godsey Cleaners. The BIL funding will extend the capacity of the program to provide funding for more cleanups in the most underserved areas in Pulaski County.

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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