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Texas Groups to Receive more than $1 Million from EPA

Release Date: 5/10/2005
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

     Five Texas groups have been selected to receive $1,200,000 in Brownfields grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene announced today.

     "Brownfields grants help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use," Greene said. "I am glad that EPA can support the good work Texas has begun and I look forward to applauding its achievements."

     The city of Austin will receive a $200,000 grant to assess petroleum sites community-wide. The city plans to conduct 12 environmental assessments on abandoned underground storage tanks within a 4.2 square mile area.

     The city of Houston will receive $400,000 to assess sites contaminated with hazardous substances and petroleum. Houston plans to hire an education/outreach expert and one or more environmental service providers as part of its environmental site assessments program. It will also plan cleanups and perform site inventory/characterization at petroleum impacted sites.

     The city of Port Arthur will receive $200,000 to assess hazardous substances sites community-wide, targeting 30 sites on the West Side.

     The Ark-Tex Council of Governments (COG) will receive $200,000 for assessment of hazardous substances sites community-wide. Ark-Tex plans to assemble a Brownfields inventory, host community outreach meetings, conduct environmental site assessments and allow for health monitoring for neighborhoods surrounded by priority Brownfields sites.

     The city of Waco will receive $200,000 to address hazardous substances at the Southwest Chemical Company "blue building" site, which the city proposes as the future location of the  George W. Bush Presidential Library.

     A Brownfield is a property which may have expansion, redevelopment or reuse challenges from hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants. EPA's Brownfields program is designed to help stakeholders prevent, assess, safely clean and sustainably reuse these properties.  Reinvesting in Brownfields increases local tax bases, facilitates job growth, uses existing infrastructure, takes development pressures off undeveloped land, and improves and protects the environment.

     Four categories of Brownfields grants are being announced nationwide today to 218 applicants selected to receive 302 grants totaling $75.9 million.  More information about EPA's Brownfields program and the grant recipients is available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/. An audio clip is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/radio.htm.