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.
$500,000
EPA has selected Big Sky Economic Development for a Brownfields Assessment Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct five Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop four cleanup plans and support reuse planning and community engagement activities. The target area for this grant includes the Southside Neighborhood and Midtown Neighborhood in the City of Billings, and the East Billings Urban Renewal District. Priority sites include a 0.16-acre site containing a blighted 24-unit apartment building, a 3.52-acre undeveloped parcel, a 15-acre city-owned site currently used for snow stockpiling, and a four-block site composed of vacant and underused commercial properties.