LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 20, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $8,485,900 in grant awards from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Iowa, 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 two communities in Iowa to receive grants totaling over $5,485,900 in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through MAC Grant programs. In addition, the Agency is announcing $3 million in supplemental funding to existing, high-performing Brownfields RLF Grant programs to help expedite their continued work at sites in Iowa.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will announce the awards in Philadelphia today, alongside Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) at a local brownfield side near Bartram’s Mile.
For over 60 years, the site was used as an oil terminal, filled with storage tanks full of petroleum and other semi-volatile organic compounds. The City of Philadelphia has been working to reclaim brownfield sites along Bartram’s Mile, turning them into a community hub where residents can access trails for hiking and biking, as well as areas for fishing, gardening, farming, and more.
“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.”
“EPA Region 7 is proud to deliver these Brownfields funding resources to our partner organizations across Iowa,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “The Brownfields program is truly a win-win for everyone involved, and we are proud of our partners’ efforts to provide a cleaner and healthier environment for all, while at the same time spurring local economic development.”
“This needed investment will boost public health and economic development across Iowa by transforming once-polluted sites into thriving community assets,” said U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (IA). “I supported the bipartisan infrastructure bill with the health and safety of Iowans in mind. I’m glad our state continues to see a return on that investment.”
“The City of Keokuk is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a Brownfields Grant,” said Keokuk Mayor Kathie Mahoney. “This grant is a testament to our commitment to revitalizing and rejuvenating our community while prioritizing environmental sustainability. We are grateful for the support and recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency’s $4.48 million Brownfields Cleanup Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We are excited to embark on this journey of transforming contaminated sites into vibrant, safe spaces for our communities. This grant will enable us to not only address environmental challenges, but also create new opportunities for economic growth and community development. We look forward to the positive impact this project will have on our community and beyond. Again, thank you for choosing Keokuk.”
“We are so thankful to the Biden-Harris Administration and the EPA for their continuing support of revitalizing often neglected areas,” said Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart. “This investment will help create the kind of change that will have generational impacts in our community.”
“East Central Intergovernmental Association is excited to continue its partnership with EPA,” said ECIA Development Coordinator Dawn Danielson. “The EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund provides ECIA with critical funding for remediation of brownfield sites in rural and disadvantaged communities throughout eastern Iowa. This new EPA Brownfields supplemental funding will replenish ECIA’s revolving loan fund, enabling ECIA to disburse and revolve funds for numerous brownfield cleanup projects throughout the ECIA five-county region. Thank you, President Biden and EPA for their commitment and investment in eastern Iowa and for selecting ECIA as 2024 Brownfields funding recipient.”
Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those 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 Programs’ Selections:
The following organizations in Iowa have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the MAC Grant programs:
- The City of Keokuk has been selected to receive $4,485,900. EPA selected the city for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Elkem-Carbide Site Auditor’s Parcel, located at 365 Carbide Lane. The 9.6-acre cleanup site was first used as a zinc smelter and lead alloying facility. By 1929, the site transitioned to the manufacturing of carbide, and later in the 1950s to the manufacturing of carbon products. All operations ceased in 2007 and the site has been vacant since then. It is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, inorganic materials, and PCBs. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities.
- The City of Waterloo has been selected to receive $1 million. EPA selected the city for a Brownfields Multipurpose Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to conduct 10 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments and conduct community engagement activities. Grant funds also will be used to clean up the 1.8-acre Altstadt and Langlas Site, located at 54 Lane Street. Additional priority sites include the Former Rath Plant at 1508 Sycamore Street; a former food warehouse at 70-80 Sycamore Street; the TechWorks out-lot near 360 Westfield Avenue; and the Grand Crossing 3 lot near 50 West Mullan Avenue.
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 page.
Non-Competitive Supplemental Funding Through the Existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Programs:
The Agency is announcing $3 million in non-competitive, supplemental funding to one successful, existing RLF Grant program that has already achieved success in its 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. The following Iowa organization has been selected to receive non-competitive, supplemental funding through the existing RLF Grant programs.
- In addition to the $1.8 million in EPA funds already awarded, the East Central Intergovernmental Association’s Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) has been selected to receive an additional $3 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), because it has a high-performing RLF program with significantly depleted funds. The RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to three cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. The BIL funding will extend the capacity of the program to provide funding for more cleanups in the most underserved areas in Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones counties in Iowa.
To see the list of RLF Supplemental funding recipients visit EPA’s FY 2024 Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants page.
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 Brownfields 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 this law, EPA has now increased that yearly investment nearly 400%. 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.
- View the lists of the FY 2024 MAC applicants selected for funding and the RLF Supplemental funding recipients.
- Learn more about the RLF Technical Assistance grant recipients.
- Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields program.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook and Instagram
Follow us on X: @EPARegion7