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EPA AWARDS BROWNFIELDS GRANTS TO STATES IN THE SOUTHEAST

Release Date: 05/07/2002
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, EPA Media Relations, 404-562-8421

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has awarded Brownfields grants to clean up and revitalize blighted communities to two states in the southeast. The grants are awarded under EPA's Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (BCRLF) program to capitalize state and local programs that in turn provide no- interest or low-interest loans to businesses to carry out cleanup activities at Brownfields properties. Federal capitalization of these loan programs provides necessary resources that enable state and local governments to produce or leverage billions of dollars in other public and private sector funding to revitalize economically depressed communities. Grants announced today were awarded to Alabama (Alabama Department of Environmental Management) and the State of South Carolina. ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (ADEM) - $1,000,000 ADEM's goal will be to provide short-term financial solutions for economically challenged brownfields in order to restore businesses to economically feasible locations, improve the lives of residents in lower-income or minority areas, curb urban sprawl, slow greenfields development, and increase municipal tax bases. Capitalization of a BCRLF will allow the state to leverage public, municipal, and private funds for the cleanup of properties. ADEM will use the BCRLF funds for loans for non-time-critical removals at brownfields across the state, with priority to those areas that demonstrate the greatest social and economic need. The potential creation of jobs, potential benefit to the communities, and plans for sustainable redevelopment also will be taken into consideration in determining loan recipients. STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA - $900,000 The State of South Carolina is the lead agency for an existing BCRLF Pilot formed by a coalition partnership consisting of the Counties of Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Kershaw, and Spartanburg; the Towns of Bluffton, Johnston, Lyman, Ware Shoals, and Yemassee; and the Cities of Anderson and Greenville. With this new BCRLF award, the state is expanding this existing coalition to encompass the entire state. This new component of South Carolina's existing BCRLF Pilot coalition will focus on areas of socioeconomic distress and environmental justice needs throughout the state. The state anticipates that municipalities will benefit the most from the Pilot, but public, private, and nonprofit organizations will be eligible to apply for loans. Priority will be given to proposals for loans that include sustainable redevelopment plans, potential for jobs creation, and benefits to the community. The Arcade Mill site in the City of Rock Hill will be a focus for the state-wide expansion of the South Carolina BCRLF pilot. The facility is located in the middle of a residential area and has been assessed by the city. In addition to the Revolving Loan Fund program, EPA's Brownfields program also funds state and local governments through assessment demonstration pilots and job training pilots. All of these pilot programs are intended to provide states, tribes, municipalities and communities with useful information and strategies to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties. These grants spur partnerships among state and local governments, community groups, investors and developers to get sites cleaned up and ready for community use instead of remaining a liability to the community and a continuing threat to public health and the environment. EPA defines brownfields as abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is an organized commitment to help communities revitalize such properties environmentally and economically, mitigate potential health risks and restore economic vitality to areas where brownfields exist. Experience gained from the brownfield pilots, along with partnerships and outreach activities, is providing a growing knowledge base to help direct the Agency's Brownfields Initiative.