EPA Awards $130 Million to Clean Up and Redevelop 110 Contaminated Brownfield Sites

WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the award of $130 million in competitive Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup grants, delivering direct environmental remediation funding to 110 municipal redevelopment agencies and non-profit coalitions across 34 states.

Transforming Contaminated Industrial Eyesores into Thriving Civic Hubs

The funding packages provide up to $2 million per site to excavate heavy metal-contaminated soil, remove industrial chemical residues, and remediate asbestos in abandoned rail yards, defunct textile mills, and former gas stations in Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Birmingham. EPA brownfields assessments indicate that every federal grant dollar spent on cleanup leverages over $14 in private investment, clearing the path to build 5,000 new affordable apartments, community recreation centers, and urban parks.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan stated that brownfield cleanups remove toxic hazards from underserved neighborhoods and unlock new opportunities for economic development.

Mayors and Urban Planning Coalitions Praise

The U.S. Conference of Mayors praised the flexible assessment and cleanup grants for revitalizing downtown waterfronts and historic industrial quarters.

Environmental justice organizers commended the requirement for mandatory neighborhood community engagement panels.

Site Remediation Schedule

Environmental remediation engineering contracts will be awarded by recipient city agencies in October 2026.