May 21, 2024
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced $9,806,847 is coming to the state from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support cleanup projects at brownfields sites, land that has been previously polluted or contaminated. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Merkley and Wyden championed, added $1.5 billion to the EPA’s Brownfields Program to help assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse across the nation.
“Redeveloping brownfield sites and addressing once-polluted, abandoned areas gives local economies a boost, protects public health, and helps revitalize communities,” Merkley said. “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.”
“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,” Wyden said. “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.”
The six projects funded are listed below:
- Sherwood, OR Cleanup Former Frontier Leather Tannery – $5,000,000
- Eugene, OR Cleanup Trainsong Park – $1,526,847
- Oregon Metro Assessment Community-wide – $1,500,000
- Port of Arlington Environmental Sentry Corp, OR Cleanup Former Condon Grade School – $780,000
- North Wasco County School District #21, OR Cleanup Former Chenowith Middle School –$500,000
- The Dalles, OR Assessment Community-wide – $500,000