The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced more than $8 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Indiana while advancing environmental justice. 

EPA selected eight communities in Indiana to receive eight grants totaling $5,066,000 in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs. Thanks to the historic boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this is the largest ever funding awarded in the history of the EPA’s Brownfields MARC Grant programs. In addition, the agency is announcing $3 million in non-competitive supplemental funding to one successful existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant program in Indiana to help expedite its continued work by extending the program’s capacity to provide more funding for additional cleanups. 

These investments are  part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient. 

“We’re working across the country to revitalize what were once dangerous and polluted sites in overburdened communities into more sustainable and environmentally just places that serve as community assets. Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we’re moving further and faster than ever before to clean up contaminated sites, spur economic redevelopment, and deliver relief that so many communities have been waiting for,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This critical wave of investments is the largest in Brownfields history and will accelerate our work to protect the people and the planet by transforming what was once blight into might.” 

“Given the Midwest’s rich industrial history, it’s no surprise that Indiana has a significant portion of EPA’s funded brownfields sites,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Thanks to the historic brownfields investment announced today, more communities will get the financial help they need to transform abandoned, blighted properties into assets that attract business and community development.” 

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering results,” said Representative André Carson. “Because of this funding, huge steps will be made to clean up multiple contaminated sites in my district, with community engagement at the forefront. These projects improve public health and the environment, but they also help lay the groundwork for future development and economic activity in what was once unusable land.” 

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 also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to disadvantaged communities. The Brownfields Program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations into all aspects of its work. Approximately 84 percent of the MARC program applications selected to receive funding are for work in areas that include historically underserved communities. 

State Funding Breakdown:

Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant Program Selection

The following organizations in Indiana have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the MARC Grant Programs. 

• EPA has selected CDFI Friendly Bloomington for a $500,000 community-wide grant to conduct 12 Phase I and up to 12 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare a prioritized site inventory, develop up to ten cleanup plans, and support community outreach. The target areas are the Bedford East Corridor and the Mooresville Central Corridor in the city of Bloomington. Priority sites include a 2.7-acre former petroleum plant, two former commercial buildings, a former light industrial shop, and a former auto and truck service facility.

“I'm delighted that CDFI Friendly Bloomington will have the opportunity to support the Uplands Region and beyond through this significant commitment from EPA. The Brownfields grant is important because it facilitates redevelopment of underutilized sites, allowing the region to set its own priorities, while also retaining flexibility based on needs that arise throughout the life of the grant,” said Tina Peterson, President & CEO of Regional Opportunity Initiatives and President of CDFI Friendly Bloomington.  “In Bloomington, we have seen the power of the Brownfields program in the redevelopment of the Switchyard Park and the Hopewell Neighborhood and can't wait to bring that leverage to other communities.” 

• EPA has selected the City of Huntington for a $991,000 grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up the former H.K. Porter site at 1849 Sabine Street. From 1924 until 2000, Asbestos Manufacturing Inc. made automotive parts such as brake pads and clutch facings at the site, resulting in inorganic contamination. Grant funds also will be used for community engagement and reuse planning activities.

“Ten years ago, the City of Huntington embarked on cleaning up 90 years worth of pollution from the HK Porter site on the East end of the city,” said Huntington Mayor Richard Strick. “We are grateful for our public and private partners in the ongoing clean-up efforts: U.S. EPA, IDEM, Keller Partners & Co., and SME. Additionally, we appreciate the efforts of the Indiana Congressional delegation members and their staff for their support in this work. With this award and local funds, the City is able to remediate the remaining onsite materials and demolish the structures by the end of 2025. This next step will prepare the site for safe and productive reuse that will benefit the neighbors around it.” 

• EPA has selected the Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission to administer a $500,000 grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to inventory sites and conduct 16 Phase I and 11 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop eight cleanup plans. Assessments will focus on downtown areas in Crawford, Dubois, Orange, Perry, Pike, and Spencer Counties. Priority sites include the Old Crawford County Courthouse, which has been vacant for 15 years, a former wastewater treatment plant, the former Jasper Seating/Indiana Furniture manufacturing site, the 6-acre Former Perry County Hospital, a 400-acre mine-scarred tract of land, and a former cheese factory. Coalition members include Crawford, Orange, Dubois, and Pike Counties in southern Indiana.

“There is enormous community pride in the ‘hometowns’ of our region,” said Consulting Director Lisa Gehlhausen. “We are appreciative of EPA and the three previous awards to Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission of over $1 million and this new fourth award which will bring an additional $500,000 across the region to conduct Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental assessments free to property owners. Assessing blighted or under-utilized sites sparks cleanup and redevelopment. With past success, we are confident the 2023-2027 award has a solid foundation to continuing this effective program. Former manufacturing sites, old schools, and former gas stations have been assessed in the past to achieve economic, health, and environmental benefits.” 

• EPA has selected the City of Indianapolis for a $975,000 grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up the former Advance Plating site located at 1005 East Sumner Ave. From 1914 to 2009, the site was used for industrial operations including canning, soap manufacturing, pattern storage, and metal plating, which used various chemicals including oils, solvents, degreasers, and metals. The site is currently abandoned and contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, cyanide, and metals. Grant funds will also support community outreach activities.
   

“With so much development coming to Indianapolis, it is critical that we ensure quality-of-life for residents is our priority,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “With this award from the EPA, a brownfield in Carson Heights can now serve as a healthier hub for community on the Southside.”

• EPA has selected the City of Lawrence for a $400,000 community-wide grant to conduct 11 Phase I and eight to ten Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare five to 10 cleanup plans and for community engagement activities including public meetings. The city will target the Lawrence Trades District. Priority sites in underserved communities include a former steel fabricator, vacant buildings formerly occupied by a technology company and an electrical contractor, a vacant paved lot with a history of light industrial use, and a vacant former industrial warehouse.

 

“The value and the impact of the EPA’s Brownfield’s Grants to City’s like Lawrence, Indiana cannot be overstated,” said Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier. “Most often utilized as an effective economic development tool, it has truly been a catalyst toward the successful redevelopment of former contaminated and idle properties, resulting in hundreds of jobs and very significant capital investment.  The EPA’s very valuable assistance represents an incredible partnership with the City of Lawrence, resulting in our dynamic growth!” 

• EPA has selected the City of Logansport for a $400,000 community-wide grant to conduct 11 Phase I and eight to ten Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare five to ten cleanup plans and support community engagement activities including public meetings. Priority sites in western and eastern Logansport target area include a former battery plant, a former tire factory, a former industrial warehouse, a former Sears Auto, and a former retail site.
   

“The City of Logansport is pleased to be the recipient of this grant and we are grateful for our partnership with the EPA and our combined commitment to environmental cleanup and responsibility in our great community,” said Logansport Mayor Chris Martin. “These funds will help us to continue the progress we have made and will allow for the redevelopment of some of the long-neglected areas throughout our city. Brownfield revitalization is a key for our administration and for the future of Logansport.” 

• EPA has selected the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council for a $500,000 community-wide grant funds to conduct 12 Phase I and 10 to 12 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare five to 10 cleanup plans and for community engagement activities including public meetings. The six-county region in north-central Indiana is the target area with a focus on the Grissom Aeroplex near Bunker Hill and the Rochester Wabash Corridor. Priority sites include a 10-acre former heating plant, the 10-acre former Randolph School, the 124-acre former Alert Billets Air Force Base, a 3.7-acre former clothing factory, and the 4-acre former Rochester Heat Treating facility.

 

“Our focus is on meeting the needs of our local communities by creating regional strategies to address common issues,” said North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council Executive Director Steven Ray. “The EPA assessment grant will allow us to conduct environmental assessments and redevelopment planning to enhance the quality of place and spur private investment across the North Central Indiana region.”   

• EPA has selected the River Heritage Conservancy for a $800,000 multipurpose grant. to conduct six Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments of the 21-acre Cab-Ex site, the 10.5-acre Marshall’s Auto site, the 22-acre Marr’s Landfill site, and other sites in the Town of Clarksville. Grant funds also will be used to clean up the Cab-Ex and Marshall’s Auto sites. Work will be targeted to Census tract 504.01, an area with modest neighborhoods adjacent to 400 acres of brownfields including junkyards, open dumps, auto salvage yards, recycling facilities, and sites with other industrial uses.

“For the first time, these funds are being awarded directly to River Heritage Conservancy,” said River Heritage Conservancy Executive Director Susan Rademacher. “Previously, partner agencies have funded environmental assessments and remediation work at Origin Park. This new influx of funding will allow the Conservancy to continue apace with environmental work that is critical to activating the Origin Park vision.”

You can read more about this year’s MARC Grant selectees, here.

Non-competitive Supplemental Funding Through the Existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Program

In addition to the $14,384,204 in EPA funds already awarded, the Indiana Finance Authority Brownfield RLF will receive an additional $3,000,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  Indiana has successfully loaned or provided subgrants which resulted in 24 cleanup projects that are already completed or underway. Potential new projects may include the Roundhouse site in Elkhart and the Former Bowser Pump property in Fort Wayne. The new funding will extend the program’s capacity to help finance more cleanups in the most underserved areas in the State of Indiana.    

“This RLF supplemental funding award will help the Indiana Finance Authority address several of the 12 sites it identified in its proposal including the North River Development West (Former OmniSource West property) in Fort Wayne and Former Central Siding in Elwood,” said Jim McGoff, IFA Director of Environmental Programs. “The Indiana Brownfields Program continues to be a crucial resource for communities throughout Indiana seeking to remediate and redevelop their blighted properties.”

You can read more about this year’s RLF Grant recipients, here.

Additional Background:

 

EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. 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 $2.37 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding has leveraged, from both public and private sources, nearly 260,000 jobs. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar. 

The next National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on August 8-11, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing former commercial and industrial properties. EPA co-sponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

• For more on Brownfields Grants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-brownfields-grant-funding
• For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields

Original source can be found here.