EPA Announces $10.3 Million in New Grants for Contaminated Land Cleanup, Economic Development in Michigan

Michigan will receive the largest amount of new grant money which will create jobs, revitalize communities

Lansing, MI – May 7, 2009 -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced today the availability of an estimated $10.3 million in grants bolstered by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to help communities in Michigan clean up sites known as "brownfields" which may be contaminated by hazardous chemicals or pollutants.

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Michigan is the top recipient of these funds, receiving more total grant money than any other state in this new announcement. The grants, which include $2.5 million from the Recovery Act and $7.8 million from the EPA brownfields general program funding, will help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive business and community institutions.

"Cleaning and reusing contaminated properties provides the catalyst to improving the lives of residents living in or near brownfields communities," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. "A revitalized brownfields site reduces threats to human health and the environment, creates green jobs, promotes community involvement, and attracts investment in local neighborhoods."

Dr. Ed Montgomery, President Obama’s Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers said, "Today’s announcement gives Michigan a needed boost during these difficult times for the auto industry and reiterates the President’s commitment to creating new jobs in manufacturing communities. These grants are one important initial short term step to creating a partnership that will build on Michigan’s assets – its workers, leadership and infrastructure – to revitalize Michigan in the long term. I thank Administrator Jackson for her help making these grants a reality."

The grants will help to assess, clean up and redevelop abandoned, contaminated properties known as brownfields. Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In addition, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 expanded the definition of a brownfield to include mine-scarred lands or sites contaminated by petroleum or the manufacture of illegal drugs. The Brownfields Program encourages development of America's estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at Recovery.gov.

More information on brownfields cleanup revolving loan fund pilots and grants and other brownfields activities under the Recovery Act: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/index.htm.

Source: White House