RDA says EPA brownfields funding helped map contamination; new grant decision expected in May

During the May 17 meeting, community development staff summarized recent uses of EPA brownfields funding and said the city has applied for a follow-up grant.

Kelly said the city received an EPA grant in 2019 for about $300,000 and has completed work supported by those funds, including site investigations and remedial planning on several Main Street properties. "We actually did submit for another grant, in late November. We're supposed to be hearing in May if we received it or not," she told the authority.

Staff said the earlier grant paid for phase-one and phase-two studies that helped identify contamination and cleanup needs on properties the RDA had not previously investigated, allowing staff to present clearer remediation expectations to prospective developers. Kelly noted the grant work helped advance specific projects such as the T Wall project and other parcels acquired along Main Street.

If the new EPA funding is awarded, staff said it would allow additional site investigation and remedial-action planning to reduce uncertainty for redevelopment and to leverage other funding sources. The board did not vote on the grant application during the meeting; staff said they would notify members when the EPA announces the award decision.