
(AGENPARL) – Mon 19 May 2025 EPA Announces $2.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Texas
DALLAS, TEXAS (May 19, 2025) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that four recipients in Texas will receive $2.5 million in Brownfields grants to assess, cleanup, and revitalize local properties. These grants put the agency’s commitment to protect human health and the environment into action while remaining good stewards of tax dollars and advancing policies to energize the economy.
“The Brownfields program exemplifies Administrator Lee Zeldin’s goal of Powering the Great American Comeback while cleaning up contamination and supporting local economies,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason. “During the Trump Administration’s first 100 Days, we listed 27 Brownfield sites as Ready for Anticipated Reuse which allows businesses to invest in properties without the fear of potential contamination from hazardous chemicals. With these grants, we will see even more properties transform into thriving economic centers while providing a safe environment for all Americans.”
Grant recipients in Texas include:
The Ark-Tex Council of Governments in Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas will receive a $1 million Revolving Loan Fund grant to provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities and conduct community engagement. These activities will focus on Miller County, Arkansas, and the cities of Atlanta, Paris, Sulphur Springs and New Boston, Texas.
The city of Austin will receive $500,000 to conduct environmental site assessments around East Austin. Funds will also be used to prepare two reuse plans and conduct engagement activities.
The city of Garland will receive $500,000 to conduct environmental site assessments around downtown, the East Side Corridor, and South Shiloh Industrial Corridor. The funds will also be used to create an evaluation ranking tool and update the brownfield site inventory, prepare five cleanup plans, and conduct engagement activities.
The city of Texarkana will receive $500,000 to conduct environmental site assessments in the State Line Culture Corridor area, including the Union Station site—a former railyard—and the abandoned Regency Building. Grant funds also will be used to create a brownfield site inventory and rank sites based on community input, prepare seven cleanup plans, support two visioning sessions, and conduct community engagement activities.
Federal grant recipients must satisfy legal and administrative requirements to receive funds from EPA. Brownfield Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants includes:
· $121.8 million for 148 selectees for Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
· $88.2 million for 51 selectees for Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.
· $15 million for 15 selectees for Revolving Loan Fund grants that will provide funding for recipients to offer loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.
Brownfields Supplemental Revolving Loan Fund Grants includes:
· $42 million for 34 high-performing recipients to help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties. Supplemental funding for Revolving Loan Fund Grants is available to recipients that have depleted their funds and have viable cleanup projects ready for work.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $42 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 220,500 jobs.
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Environmental Protection Agency, 1201 Elm Street, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75270 United States