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.
$500,000
EPA has selected the Rapides Area Planning Commission for a Brownfields Assessment Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 14 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to identify and prioritize additional sites, develop three cleanup plans and one site reuse plan, and support community engagement activities, including the development of a Community Involvement Plan. The target area for this grant is the City of Pineville's Downtown Neighborhood. Priority sites include a former dry cleaning facility on Main Street, the former Huey P. Long Charity Hospital site, and a former gas station located on Main Street.