EPA Announces More Than $8.5 Million in Brownfield Grants Through Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in Wisconsin

EPA Announces More Than $8.5 Million in Brownfield Grants Through Investing in America Agenda to Rehabilitate and Revitalize Communities in Wisconsin 

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 

May 20, 2024  

Contact Information: Danielle Kaufman ([email protected]) 312-886-6703 

CHICAGO – Today, May 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $8 million in grant awards to the Wisconsin Department of Employment and Economic Development from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Wisconsin while advancing environmental justice. These investments through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup and Revolving Loan Fund 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 three communities in Wisconsin to receive grants totaling $4,139,394 in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the multipurpose, assessment, and cleanup grant program. In addition, the agency is announcing $4.5 million in supplemental funding to two existing, high-performing brownfields revolving loan fund grant programs to help expedite their continued work at sites in Wisconsin. 

“Far too many communities across America have suffered the harmful economic and health consequences of living near polluted brownfield sites. 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,” said President Joe Biden. 

“President Biden sees contaminated sites and blighted areas as an opportunity to invest in healthier, revitalized communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That 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.”   

“The Great Lakes Region has a rich industrial history that brought with it economic prosperity, but also legacy contamination that stills plagued many of our communities,” said Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “With today’s announcement and the ongoing investments from the Biden Administration, EPA and our many partners are accelerating brownfield cleanups and community redevelopment.” 

“Whether it’s our kids in classrooms and schools, homes and businesses, or our farmers who rely on clean water and fruitful land for crops and livestock, protecting our state’s vast natural resources is an essential part of our heritage, tradition, and who we are as a state,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “We are ready for bold and urgent solutions to address the problems facing Wisconsinites today, and I’m grateful to the DNR and our partners at the federal level who are working to make meaningful investments in cleaning up harmful contaminants and building healthier, stronger communities across Wisconsin.” 

“These contaminated sites have sat vacant for years, deterring economic investments and leaving entire neighborhoods behind. I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring home long overdue investments to revitalize these abandoned areas into community assets where people can work, live, and play,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin. “Today’s announcement puts Wisconsin on the path to cleaning up these hazardous sites, keeping Wisconsinites healthy, bringing new life to the space, and growing our economy.” 

“I’m so proud that the cities of Milwaukee and West Allis received this recognition for their work to redevelop brownfield sites,” said Rep. Gwen Moore. These bipartisan infrastructure law grants will support these ongoing efforts in our community, which are promoting economic growth and helping expand access to affordable housing.” 

“For 25 years now, the City of Milwaukee has been fortunate to receive funding from the Environmental Protection Agency which we have deployed to investigate and cleanup brownfield sites across the City,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “This allocation of supplemental brownfield revolving loan funds provides a significant boost to our program, allowing us to continue partnering with both EPA and the private sector to provide critical gap financing that helps advance projects creating new jobs and affordable housing. We thank President Joe Biden and the EPA for their continued support of the Milwaukee community.” 

“We are very thankful for our continued partnership with the EPA, they have been excellent partners in helping the City of West Allis to overcome the many challenges that come with brownfield sites and to implement its vision to become a more vibrant community,” said City of West Allis Mayor Dan Devine. 

“The City of Manitowoc is extremely grateful for the Brownfield Cleanup Grants that we have received,” said City of Manitowoc Mayor Justin M. Nickels. “We’ve seen significant progress and development at our River Point District with previous EPA grant dollars and we are excited for the redevelopment of a longtime blighted property with this new grant. This grant will, without a doubt, be the catalyst to revitalizing this area of our city.” 

“The City of Brillion has a long and storied history. The 20-parcel, 145-acre Brillion Iron Works foundry which had once served as the City's economic powerhouse through the 20th Century closed its doors in 2016, leaving only memories of a once-vibrant past and burdening the community with substantial loss and a massively blighted property. The target brownfield is now home to a new STEM-focused early childcare learning center and a brand new next-generation health care clinic,” said City of Brillion Clerk Patty Schreiber. “Building on this momentum, the cleanup grant will serve as a critical funding tool as the City rebuilds crumbling stormwater infrastructure to facilitate much-needed workforce/multi-family residential redevelopments at the Property.” 

"Price County United Limited's clean up grant will focus on the 9.2-acres of the greater 26-acre waterfront property next to historic downtown Phillips. The site has been in industrial use since 1883, 141 years, and idle for the last 10 years,” said President of Price County United Limited Lynda Ludwig. “Get ready to witness a remarkable TRANSFORMATION that will ELEVATE Phillips and the Northern Wisconsin central corridor. PCUL is committed to bringing the site back to productive use, serving the community's resiliency and sustainability goals."    

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 applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities. 

State Funding Breakdown: 

Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant Program Selection 
The following organizations in Wisconsin have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding through the multipurpose, assessment, and cleanup grant program. 

• Brillion Iron Works Redevelopment has been selected to receive $500,000. EPA has selected the city of Brillion for a Brownfields cleanup grant to clean up Redevelopment Area 4 of the Brillion Iron Works Redevelopment located at Park Avenue and North Parkway Drive. The 6.3-acre cleanup site was first developed with a 1.5-story machine shop and forge and expanded through the 20th Century to include a grey iron foundry, a ductile iron foundry, a railyard, a cannery, a milk condensary, a truck scale, and an electrical substation. At its peak in the late 20th Century, Brillion Iron Works employed more than 1,000 people and produced up to 1,000 tons of iron per day. The foundry closed in 2016. The site is contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and PCBs. Grant funds also will be used to develop a community involvement plan and conduct community engagement activities. 
   
• Community Development Authority of the city of Manitowoc has been selected to receive $1,961,500. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Phase I Redevelopment Area located at 1512 Washington Street. By 1893, the 2.3-acre cleanup site was occupied by the Henry Vits tannery and six residential structures. In 1898, Henry Vits converted his tannery to the manufacturing of aluminum products; aluminum manufacturing continued at the site until 1986. The now vacant cleanup site is contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and PCBs. Grant funds also will be used to develop a site-specific community involvement plan and to conduct community engagement activities. 
   
• Price County United Limited has been selected to receive $1,677,894. Grant funds will be used to clean up the former Lionite Mill Property located at 115 Depot Road in the city of Phillips. Use of the 26.2-acre cleanup site as a wood-products production facility dates back to 1883, with operations continuing until 2015. The site is now vacant and fenced off. The site is contaminated with hazardous substances including heavy metals and inorganic contaminants. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities. 

You can read more about this year’s multipurpose, assessment, and cleanup grant selectees, visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.  

Non-Competitive Supplemental Funding Through the Existing Revolving Loan Fund Grant Program 
EPA is announcing $4.5 million in non-competitive supplemental funding to two successful existing revolving loan fund grant programs that have already achieved success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfield sites. Revolving loan fund 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. The following Wisconsin organizations have been selected to receive non-competitive supplemental funding: 

• Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee has been selected to receive $3.5 million in addition to the $13.2 million in EPA funds already awarded. The Redevelopment Authority has been selected to receive an additional funding because it has a high-performing program that has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to 17 cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Potential projects highlighted for use include the 1st & National and Compass Lofts projects in Milwaukee. The funding will extend the capacity of the program to provide funding for more cleanups in the most underserved areas in the city. 
   
• West Allis has been selected to receive $1 million in addition to the $5 million in EPA funds already awarded. The city of West Allis has a high-performing revolving loan fund program which has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to five cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Potential projects highlighted include the Longfellow School redevelopment and the SONA Lot 4 project. The funding will extend the capacity of the program to provide funding for more cleanups in the most underserved areas in the city. 

To see the list of revolving loan fund supplemental funding recipients visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage.  

To learn more about revolving loan fund technical assistance grant recipient visit EPA’s Brownfields Grow America 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 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 Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup grants’ maximum award amounts to increase significantly from $500,000 to a new maximum of $5 million per award.     

For more information on EPA’s Brownfields Program, visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.  
 

 

###