(AGENPARL) – gio 25 maggio 2023 Issued: May 25, 2023 (2:24pm EDT)
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EPA awards $500K for cleanup and revitalization of abandoned properties in
Arnegard, Watford City and Alexander, North Dakota
McKenzie County to use Brownfields funds to address contamination and advance
redevelopment opportunities at critical properties?
Contacts? 
McKenzie County:? Sandee Kimpel, Director of Planning, 701-648-0126,
Watford City, N.D. (May 25, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) today announced McKenzie County, North Dakota, will receive a $500,000
Brownfields Assessment Grant to conduct environmental assessments and develop
cleanup plans focused on several properties across the county, including sites
in Arnegard, Watford City and Alexander.? 
“McKenzie County has developed a comprehensive strategy to assess, clean up
and revive key properties in the communities of Arnegard, Watford City and
Alexander,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker.? “We look forward
to seeing these projects bring new assets and business opportunities for those
who live in these communities.”?? 
“Remediating sites contaminated by hazardous substances and returning them
to productive use is a win-win for our communities,”?said U.S. Senator
Kevin Cramer. “These Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grants will help create
new opportunities at currently unusable locations.” 
These funds are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to
expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites while advancing
environmental justice through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan
Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs. Thanks to the historic boost from the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this funding is the largest ever awarded by
EPA’s Brownfields MARC Grant programs.? 
“We are excited to use our brownfields grant to help revitalize properties
throughout McKenzie County,” said Sandee Kimpel, Director, McKenzie County
Planning and Zoning.?? 
Priority sites include several vacant properties such as the McKenzie County
Hospital, gas stations, the county fairgrounds, a high school building and a
commercial building. Addressing contaminants at these sites will enable the
County to redevelop these properties based on established revitalization
goals, including enhancing housing options and affordability, addressing the
need for childcare, and expanding opportunities for parks, trails and
recreation.?  
The former McKenzie County Fairgrounds, a large, 29.5- acre property in
Watford City, is a prime location for future redevelopment. Contaminants of
concern include asbestos, lead-based paint, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals and
volatile organic compounds. Cleanup and redevelopment of the site will give
the community access to a trail system along Cherry Creek, greenspace
amenities, promote walkability and spur economic development through retail
and restaurants, creating jobs and new housing. There is also an interest in
potentially relocating the Fire Department and Emergency Management Services
to the site.?  
Additional properties with known or perceived environmental issues include the
Former County Hospital at 516 N Main St. in Watford City. This 17,484 square
foot building is the former home of the McKenzie County Healthcare System
Hospital, sits in a residential neighborhood and has been vacant since 2018.
Potential environmental concerns include asbestos, lead-based paint,
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and petroleum compounds associated with
underground storage tanks. Once assessed and cleaned, the building has
potential for much-needed reuse as a daycare facility or other productive
redevelopment.? 
The former Arnegard School on Vine Street in Arnegard is a 12,630 square foot,
two-story structure that has been vacant since 2013. Contaminants of concern
include asbestos and lead. The county’s vision for this historic building
includes senior housing units, retail spaces and a new community center that
can be rented for events. A community garden will also be added to the
landscaping for building residents and visitors.? 
The Doorman Overhead Building on Elk Street in Alexander is a 5,600 square
foot building formerly used as a gas station, liquor store, truck repair shop
and overhead door sales and services. Contaminants of concern include
lead-based, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, PCBs and volatile organic
compounds. The building’s location makes it ideal for mixed-use, commercial
and retail redevelopment, a restaurant and low- to moderate-income apartments
on the second floor. The redevelopment will also feature energy-efficient
measures including high-efficiency windows, insulation and heating/cooling
systems and solar panels for power.?? 
The grant to McKenzie County is among three grants totaling $3.5 million EPA
is awarding to grantees in North Dakota today. Other grantees include: 
The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, $1 million 
The Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority, $2 million 
Background? 
Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities
than ever begin to address the economic, social and environmental challenges
caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity and environmental
revitalization in historically overburdened communities.  
EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40
Initiative to direct 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal
investments to disadvantaged communities. Approximately 84% of the MARC
program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas
that include historically underserved communities. 
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37
billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties
and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in
addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup
and redevelopment. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants
used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and
successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of grant funds
spent and $19.78 for every dollar. 
More on Brownfields Grants.?? 
More on EPA’s Brownfields Program.? 
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