All News Releases By Date

U.S. EPA announces $7.75 million for Ohio brownfields

Release Date: 5/11/2005
Contact Information:

CONTACT: (EPA) Mick Hans, (312) 353-5050
(Cleveland Brownfields) Brooke Furio, (216) 664-3674
(Cuyahoga County) James Herron, (216) 443-8064
(Cleveland Heights) Kimberley Steigerwald, (216) 291-4857
(Sandusky) Angela Byington, (419) 627-597

For Immediate Release
No. 05-OPA059

CHICAGO (May 10, 2005) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today that it has awarded $7.75 million to 12 different communities and government consortiums to help address brownfields sites in Ohio. Brownfields are abandoned or underutilized properties where stigma or a lack of solid technical information has discouraged redevelopment.

Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, Cuyahoga County Commissioners and state and local officials joined EPA Acting Regional Administrator Bharat Mathur for the announcement at the site of the former St. Michael's Hospital in Cleveland.
"EPA's Brownfields program puts both property and people back to work," said Mathur. "The grants we're awarding today to Ohio communities can convert eyesores into engines of economic rebirth."

Nationally, EPA announced $75.9 million in grants today. A total of 218 applicants, including three tribal nations, were selected to receive 291 grants. One category of grants provides funds to evaluate contaminated properties. Another category provides funds to do cleanup work. Eleven other applicants, including the Downriver Community Conference in Michigan's Wayne and Monroe counties will receive job training grants.

A total of $1.4 million in grants were awarded to north central Ohio communities. The city of Cleveland will receive $200,000 to assess a number of properties in the Lower Big Creek Valley. Cuyahoga County will receive $400,000 (two grants) to help sustain its existing Brownfield Redevelopment Fund Community Assessment Initiative. Cleveland Heights (two grants) will receive $400,000 to address a pair of former gas station sites on Lee Road. The city of Sandusky (two grants) will receive $400,000 to assess or complete preliminary cleanup designs at more than a dozen local sites.

The other Ohio grants include $4 million to the Ohio Department of Development to support a low-interest revolving loan fund and grants to Anna ($200,000), Bellaire ($200,000) Gahanna ($600,000, three grants), Findlay ($400,000, two grants), Middletown ($400,000, two grants), Southeastern Ohio Port Authority ($200,000) and the Southern Ohio Port Authority ($350,000).

See detailed information including fact sheets about each grant recipient at www.epa.gov/brownfields.