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.
$1,000,000
EPA has selected Camden Lutheran Housing, Inc. for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former West Jersey Paper Manufacturing Site located at NE Elm & Front Streets (Block 44, Lot 71) in the City of Camden. The 0.62-acre cleanup site housed the West Jersey Paper Manufacturing Company from 1850 to 1967, and then Latex Fiber Industries, Inc. from 1967 to 1974. Both companies used the site for paper milling and pulp operations. The buildings were demolished in 1974, the site is currently unused and vacant. It is contaminated with heavy metals, arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and PCBs. Grant funds also will be used to prepare a Community Involvement Plan and conduct community engagement activities.