(AGENPARL) – Mon 19 May 2025 EPA Announces $500,000 in Brownfield Grant Funding to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Arkansas
DALLAS, TEXAS (May 19, 2025) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the City of Pine Bluff in Arkansas will receive $500,000 in Brownfields grant funding 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.”
The City of Pine Bluff will recieve a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to inventory and prioritize brownfield sites, prepare four cleanup plans and one Brownfields Revitalization Plan, and conduct community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is the Pine Bluff Downtown Development District. Priority sites include the 0.26-acre Saenger Theatre, the 0.42-acre Hotel Pines, and the 4-acre former Pine Bluff Bus Terminal.
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