Issued: May 20, 2024 (2:12pm EDT)

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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $3 million in Brownfield Grants to rehabilitate and revitalize communities in New Hampshire through Investing in America agenda

Funded by $1.5 billion investment into Brownfields sites from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address legacy pollution, advance environmental justice, and create healthier communities

Contact Information: JoAnne Kittrell, kittrell.joanne@epa.gov, (617) 918-1822; EPA Region 1 Press Office (R1_Press@epa.gov)   

BOSTON (May 20, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $3,019,400 in grant awards from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in New Hampshire while advancing environmental justice. These investments through EPA's Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) 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 two communities in New Hampshire to receive two grants totaling over $3 million in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant programs.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the awards in Philadelphia today alongside Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon 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."

"Brownfields grants are gamechangers—they turn polluted, abandoned sites into thriving community spaces. This isn't just about cleaning up the environment; it's about revitalizing neighborhoods, creating good jobs, and ensuring healthier living for everyone—it's a win-win-win-win-win-win," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "This additional funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping to transform contaminated properties into valuable community assets, making a real difference for New Hampshire families, especially in the areas that need it most."

"I'm thrilled to see this funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investing in Granite State communities. By cleaning up former industrial and other sites, the Brownfields program unlocks new economic opportunities while addressing public health and environmental threats," said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. "I look forward to seeing what comes next for Jaffrey and Nashua as the communities look toward revitalization of these sites."

"Cleanup projects help reduce contamination that threatens the public health, groundwater and our environment," said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan. "I was proud to help negotiate and pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to help make projects like these possible, which play a vital role in removing harmful chemicals and cleaning up polluted sites."

"These resources represent an important investment in the health and wellbeing of Jaffrey and Nashua," said Rep. Ann Kuster. "Cleaning up decades old contamination protects residents and helps communities spur economic revitalization. I'm pleased to see these resources from made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law being put to work in New Hampshire."

Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located 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 Program Selection

The following organizations in New Hampshire have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs.

• Town of Jaffrey has been selected to receive $2,019,400 for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the W.W. Cross Site at 39 Webster Street. The 11-acre cleanup site is an abandoned former factory that manufactured tacks and fasteners for the upholstery, carpeting, and shoe industry from 1916 until the late 1990s. In 2008, the former warehouse and manufacturing space was converted into several separate tenant-occupied spaces, including a warehouse, gym, and mailing service. Active business operations ceased in 2012 and the structures fell into disrepair. It is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals, trichloroethylene, and inorganic contaminants. Grant funds also will be used to prepare a Community Engagement Plan and conduct community engagement activities.
• City of Nashua has been selected to receive $1 million for a Brownfields Multipurpose Grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to conduct six Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments, conduct community engagement and cleanup planning activities, and conduct cleanup activities at the NIMCO site and the Police Training Facility. Priority sites include the 2.3-acre NIMCO site, which houses a 60,000 square-foot former machine shop; the Police Training Facility located at 82 Pine Street, which is a 1.25-acre site with a long history of industrial use, including operating as an auto/machine repair shop from 1920 to 1955; and the Millyard Parking Lot site located at 7 Pine Street North, which currently operates as a parking lot, and has a history of industrial uses. The target area for this project is Downtown Nashua.

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.

 

Non-competitive Supplemental Funding Through the Existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Program

In addition, the Agency is announcing non-competitive supplemental funding to successful existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant programs that have already achieved success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfield sites. RLF Grants provide funding for recipients to offer loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. The funding announced today will help communities continue to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfield sites.

To see the list of RLF Supplemental funding recipients, 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 Brownfield 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 the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has now increased that yearly investment nearly 400 percent. 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 Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup applicants selected for funding, visit EPA's 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.  

  

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