EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, Tribal Nations, 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.
$1,200,000
EPA has selected the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission to lead a Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct 40 Phase I and 15 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop six cleanup plans and support community engagement activities. Assessment activities will focus on six census tracts in Dunkin, New Madrid, and Scott Counties. Priority sites include the 2-acre former Lincoln Junior High School, an 8-acre vacant facility located on Southeast Missouri State University that once operated a soda bottling company, a 0.52-acre former automotive dealership, the 6-acre former Sinkers Corporation site, and the 25.51-acre former Dunklin County Compress site. Non-lead coalition members include Dunklin County and the City of Morehouse.