(AGENPARL) - Roma, 20 Maggio 2024 - (AGENPARL) – lun 20 maggio 2024 Issued: May 20, 2024 (1:06pm EDT)
If you wish to unsubscribe please do so
here: http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=u001.iqz6hAvLdUl-2FaSixKUG3iyFJBsxNAroAZOQ1BID8fKIiLAUfJX2sQlhu1tzKAOIu-2BU84uzAzSpWvmWyHnsNJDRYXWx5dlMz75Zp9ch-2BQlG6mQHPYjReZhS13hvd5qOop_Qhl_-2B0Ok6Af7hyz7Kqg6CR74pYblAA1WjrUjKSJUAiv3NOub0DC4O7JPWGxIlQ7kBB-2FSgkr7v-2FN5x4YbGrKfHNevR7Vbj1xJglcvGylpJ-2FtPrEJLW1xbQLkdm0DaqydVt82Uz6MG0ebXxFe6aX9JDHkoof7OFMCSUHHCFW5M-2BPooetONVJJkTTtyWFOnvqA70DAJJFts7KVuFTamlCwLMY1x-2FCejMZ9dUlklX-2B44tOvbLwFC2gAOBBNnMt8XGBWN47EIoX5jMfXa7B-2FP9Ou5VwArcw-3D-3D
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1.5M in Brownfields Grants Through
Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in
Kansas
Funded by $1.5 billion investment into brownfield sites from President
Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address legacy pollution, advance
environmental justice, and create healthier communities
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 – 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa,
KS 66219
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1.5M in Brownfields Grants Through
Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in
Kansas
Funded by $1.5 billion investment into brownfield sites from President
Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address legacy pollution, advance
environmental justice, and create healthier communities
Contact Information: Jonathan Klusmeyer, 913-343-2991,
LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 20, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) announced $1.5 million in grant awards from President Biden’s
Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of
brownfield sites in Kansas, while advancing environmental justice.
These investments through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and
Cleanup (MAC) Grant programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant programs will
help transform once-polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community
assets, while helping to create good jobs and spur economic revitalization in
overburdened communities.
EPA selected the Flint Hills Regional Council in Kansas to receive $1.5
million in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through MAC Grant programs.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will announce the awards in Philadelphia
today, alongside Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and U.S. Representative
Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) at a local brownfield side near Bartram’s Mile.
For over 60 years, the site was used as an oil terminal, filled with storage
tanks full of petroleum and other semi-volatile organic compounds. The City of
Philadelphia has been working to reclaim brownfield sites along Bartram’s
Mile, turning them into a community hub where residents can access trails for
hiking and biking, as well as areas for fishing, gardening, farming, and more.
“Far too many communities across America have suffered the harmful economic
and health consequences of living near polluted brownfield sites,” said
President Joe Biden. “I’ve long believed that people who’ve borne the
burden of pollution should be the first to see the benefits of new investment.
Under my Administration, we are making that a reality by ensuring the historic
resources from my Investing in America agenda reach communities that need it
most. I am proud that my Administration is helping Philadelphia clean up and
transform this area into an economic engine, while tackling a longstanding
environmental injustice and creating good-paying jobs.”
“President Biden sees contaminated sites and blighted areas as an
opportunity to invest in healthier, revitalized communities,” said EPA
Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That’s why he secured historic funding
under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supercharging EPA’s Brownfields
program to clean up contaminated properties in overburdened communities and
bring them back into productive use.”
“EPA Region 7 is proud to deliver these Brownfields funding resources to our
partner organizations across Kansas,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan
A. McCollister. “The Brownfields program is truly a win-win for everyone
involved, and we are proud of our partners’ efforts to provide a cleaner and
healthier environment for all, while at the same time spurring local economic
development.”
“I’m thrilled to welcome new federal investments to Kansas to help clean up
and sustainably reuse contaminated sites across our community,” said U.S.
Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3). “This initiative will not only protect
public health and the environment, but also revitalize our communities and
create new economic opportunities.”
“This significant award will empower our ongoing efforts to identify,
assess, and facilitate the cleanup and revitalization of brownfield sites
across the Flint Hills region,” said Flint Hills Regional Council Brownfield
Project Manager Janna Williams.
“We are deeply committed to the environmental and economic well-being of the
Flint Hills region,” said Flint Hills Regional Council Board President Trish
Giardano. “This grant not only supports our vision for a revitalized and
thriving region, but also reinforces the trust and partnership we have
cultivated with the EPA and our members.”
“This level of grant funding from the EPA will go a long way in assessing
and planning for cleanups of polluted sites in Kansas,” said Kansas
Department of Health and Environment Secretary Janet Stanek. “Communities in
the Flint Hills will be able to use these funds to ensure a brighter future
for their citizens, as well as the many visitors who travel throughout the
region for business and leisure activities. This is another great investment
for Kansas.”
Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those in areas
that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources needed
to initiate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects. As brownfield sites
are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs, promote economic
revitalization, and transform communities into sustainable and environmentally
just places.
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 before 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 advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative,
which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal
investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by
underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Brownfields program strives
to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity
considerations in all aspects of its work. Approximately 86% of the MAC and
RLF Supplemental program applications selected to receive funding proposed to
work in areas that include disadvantaged communities.
State Funding Breakdown:
Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs’
Selections
The following organization in Kansas has been selected to receive EPA
Brownfields funding through the MAC Grant programs:
Flint Hills Regional Council has been selected to receive $1.5 million to lead
a Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be
used to conduct 30 Phase I and 27 Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant funds also will be used to update the brownfield site inventory, prepare
nine cleanup plans, and support community engagement activities. The target
areas include the Historic Downtown and Grant Avenue Revitalization Area in
Junction City; Downtown/6th Avenue Revitalization Area in Emporia; Central
Core District Revitalization Area in Manhattan; and West Main Street
Revitalization Area in Herington. Priority sites include the former Kaw
Theater and a former lumber yard, gas station, and car wash in Junction City;
Short Stop and Spic N’ Span Cleaners in Emporia; Fairlane Salvage Site,
Cinderella Cleaners, Stickel Cleaners, and Midwest Concrete Material in
Manhattan; and a former gas station and auto sales site, a former dry cleaner,
and a former auto repair shop in Herington. Non-lead coalition members include
the City of Herington, City of Manhattan, and Junction City Main Street Inc.
To see the list of the FY 2024 Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup applicants
selected for funding visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and
Cleanup Applicants webpage.
Additional Background:
EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support
the reuse of brownfield sites to address the health, economic, social, and
environmental challenges caused by brownfields. EPA anticipates making all the
awards announced today, once all legal and administrative requirements are
satisfied.
EPA’s Brownfields program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion
in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and
return blighted properties to productive reuse. Prior to the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law, this program made approximately $60 million available each
year. Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America through this
law, EPA has now increased that yearly investment nearly 400%. More than half
of the funding available for this grant cycle (approximately $160 million)
comes from the historic $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This investment has also allowed the MAC
grants’ maximum award amounts to increase significantly from $500,000 to a
new maximum of $5 million per award.
To see the list of the FY 2024 MAC applicants selected for funding, visit: FY
2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.
To see the list of RLF Supplemental funding recipients visit EPA’s FY 2024
Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.
To learn more about RLF Technical Assistance grant recipient visit EPA’s
Brownfields Grow America webpage.  
For more information on EPA’s Brownfields Program visit EPA’s Brownfields
webpage.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
To unsubscribe or change your settings click here:
http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=u001.iqz6hAvLdUl-2FaSixKUG3iyFJBsxNAroAZOQ1BID8fKKhIILjisBDEktm3-2BIos9X6T7LqsRRfkNbGWLkqRHBVmzO1q-2BUjzGjCIUm-2BM2-2FuJH4TSrrvpGFRp94zECsFV7SEn6tysQXR8ta1khYuQv4MOQ-3D-3DE9NJ_-2B0Ok6Af7hyz7Kqg6CR74pYblAA1WjrUjKSJUAiv3NOub0DC4O7JPWGxIlQ7kBB-2FSgkr7v-2FN5x4YbGrKfHNevR7Vbj1xJglcvGylpJ-2FtPrELR0FY23HX1mUFkXzs9hxQuEHmKYx2HTAlKf7crTs4XUy2ZMBQXLsN6Gaz3T-2FNjIM-2FjmlLM5y8vJao4jCpsuoplC4RwYghYgnMdX47exmQTIwg0iNhQwBwEDnvG6Rvw8tnixEYL8z9QTBsXp5aRVR8BoiRVMs6dWstHjJ1lSE1w6w-3D-3D