EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfield sites. 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 Job Training Grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.
$400,000
EPA has selected Barry County for a Brownfields Assessment Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 12 Phase I and ten Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare five cleanup plans and to conduct community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is Barry County with a focus on the Downtown Hastings Riverfront, a one-mile-long area near the Thornapple River. Priority sites include the 8.23-acre former Hastings Manufacturing Company Industrial Landfill and Royal Coach Site that was destroyed by a fire in 2020; the 1.95-acre former Hastings Manufacturing Company Warehouse No. 80 formerly used to store parts and chemicals; and the 3.3-acre Hastings Metal Recycling Center formerly used to salvage steel, copper, aluminum, zinc, electronics, and car batteries.