Several western Pennsylvania communities will share in a nationwide total of $67 million in brownfields funding announced today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties. Among the grants in Pennsylvania, two that total $1 million will help Beaver and Lawrence Counties conduct environmental assessments of properties possibly contaminated by hazardous waste and petroleum.
“EPA’s funding will help Beaver and Lawrence Counties in their efforts to clean up abandoned and underused sites for more economically beneficial uses, showing how small, rural communities can leverage brownfields grants to build a healthier future,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.
Nationwide, 171 communities in 44 states are receiving 264 EPA brownfields grants, giving communities and businesses a chance to reuse properties that have been laying idle and turn them into useful assets. These brownfields investments boost local economies and create new opportunities for community revitalization.
The grants to Pennsylvania include:
Beaver County was selected to receive brownfields assessment grant funding totaling $600,000. The County will use the funding to conduct up to 22 environmental site assessments at properties perceived to be contaminated with hazardous waste, and another 10 assessments at sites perceived to be contaminated with petroleum. The funding will also support community engagement activities and cleanup planning. Coalition partners are the City of Aliquippa, Borough of Midland, and Borough of Monaca in Beaver County, and Moon Township in Allegheny County. Lawrence County has experience and success in brownfields redevelopment. They will receive a total of $400,000 for two brownfields assessment grants to assess sites with potential petroleum and hazardous waste contamination. The funds will be used for reviewing the list of proposed sites targeted for the next level of environmental site assessment. Lawrence will also conduct between two and four environmental site assessments, develop cleanup plans and conduct community outreach activities.
Since the inception of EPA’s brownfields program, Pennsylvania has received nearly $60 million in brownfields funding. Nationwide, EPA’s brownfields program has made cumulative investments leveraging more than $21 billion from a range of public and private sources for cleanup and redevelopment activities, resulting in approximately 93,000 jobs.
