EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002, as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018, was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: Multipurpose Grants, Assessment Grants, Revolving Loan Fund Grants, Cleanup Grants, and Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.
$500,000
EPA has selected The Industrial Commons for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Drexel Plan 3&5 site located at 211 East Fleming Drive in the City of Morganton. The 28-acre site operated as a furniture manufacturer from the early 1920s until the early 2000s. A fire in 2009 consumed several buildings on the site, and the site has been vacant and unmaintained since. It is contaminated with metals and inorganic contaminants co-mingled with petroleum products and also contains an underground storage tank. Grant funds also will be used for redevelopment planning and to conduct community outreach activities.