(City of Pocatello, May 13, 2022)
Thursday, May 12, the Biden Administration through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $254.5 million in Brownfields grants to 265 communities. The grants are supported by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides a total of $1.5 billion to “advance environmental justice”, spur economic revitalization, and create jobs by cleaning up contaminated, polluted, or hazardous brownfield properties.
In EPA’s Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington), a total of 15 projects have been selected to receive nearly $8.65 million in grant funding (including $2.5M in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding). The Region 10 selectees include:
City of Pocatello
City of Unalaska
Region IV Development Association, Inc.
Southeast Idaho Council of Governments
City of Chiloquin
Clatsop County
Columbia Pacific Economic Development District of Oregon
City of Hillsboro
City of Lincoln City
City of Portland
Rogue Valley Council of Governments
Tillamook County
City of Olympia
Port of Tacoma
City of Spokane
In addition, Region 10 is receiving just under 8 million of supplemental Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for two high-performing Revolving Loan Fund Grant recipients–the Oregon Business Development Department and the Washington State Department of Commerce–to help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
“With today’s announcement, we’re turning blight into might for communities across America,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA’s Brownfields Program breathes new life into communities by helping to turn contaminated and potentially dangerous sites into productive economic contributors. Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are significantly ramping up our investments in communities, with the bulk of our funding going to places that have been overburdened and underserved for far too long.”
