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
SEATTLE (May 20, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $9,806,874 in grant awards from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Oregon while advancing environmental justice. EPA selected six communities in Oregon to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant programs.
These investments through EPA’s Brownfields 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.
“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.”
“With the aid of Brownfields MAC funding, communities can achieve significant and positive outcomes for their neighborhoods and businesses,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Assessing and cleaning up pollution are crucial steps in building thriving, healthy communities.”
“These federal investments throughout Oregon will convert old brownfields into fresh opportunities for jobs and new catalysts to build our state’s communities into even better places to live and work,” said Senator Ron Wyden. “I’m gratified Oregon has secured these federal resources, and I’ll keep battling to secure additional federal funds that support our economy and quality of life for all Oregonians.”
“Redeveloping brownfield sites and addressing once-polluted, abandoned areas gives local economies a boost, protects public health, and helps revitalize communities”, said Senator Jeff Merkley. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding is headed to communities in Oregon to address this legacy pollution. These critical federal investments will help spur growth in our communities and advance environmental justice, all while creating good jobs.”
“Oregonians deserve an environment that is safe and protected. The Brownfields Cleanup Grant program is pivotal in helping communities clean up contaminated sites and bring them back life as vibrant spaces for people to live, work and play,” said Congresswoman Val Hoyle. “I’m pleased the Biden administration is making this a priority and investing $1,526,847 to clean up Trainsong Park in Eugene. This is what the Investing in America agenda is all about.”
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 Grant Program Selection
The following organizations in Oregon have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant Programs.
The City of Sherwood was selected to receive $5,000,000. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Frontier Leather Tannery. The site has been vacant since the tannery closed in 1972. Grant funds also will be used to develop a Public Participation Plan and to conduct community engagement activities.
The City of Eugene has been selected to receive $1,526,847. Grant funds will be used to clean up Trainsong Park. In January 2022, the park was closed and fenced off because environmental sampling found elevated levels of dioxin concentrations in park soils from an unknown source. Grant funds also will be used to develop a Public Involvement Plan and conduct community engagement activities.
Oregon Metro, as the lead member of the assessment coalition involving Washington and Clackamas Counties and Unite Oregon, has been selected to receive $1,500,000. Grant funds will be used to conduct environmental site assessments, develop cleanup plans, and support community engagement activities throughout the state.
North Wasco County School District #21 has been selected to receive $500,000. Grant funds will be used to clean up the former Chenowith Middle School in the City of The Dalles. The 13-acre cleanup site was developed as a school in 1955 and has sat vacant since 2009. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities.
Port of Arlington Environmental Sentry Corp has been selected to receive $780,000. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Condon Grade School. The 3.2-acre cleanup site was used as a school for just over one hundred years and has been vacant since it closed at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Grant funds also will be used to develop a Public Participation Plan and conduct community engagement activities.
The City of The Dalles has been selected to receive $500,000. Grant funds will be used to conduct environmental site assessments and cleanup alternative evaluations, develop site-specific reuse plans and an area-wide plan, and conduct community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is the City of The Dalles’s Westside and Downtown Historic Area.
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.
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.