LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Several communities throughout Michigan have been awarded grant money to assist in the identification and renovation of numerous brownfield sites.
The EPA chose seven communities throughout the state to receive grants totaling nearly $5 million in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs.
A former site in the city of Marquette will be the beneficiary of roughly $964,000 to help clean up the Cliffs Dow property at 100 Wright St. and 2001 Lakeshore Boulevard. The area was previously a charcoal and pig iron plant, and wood chemical plant and is contaminated with semi-volatile organic compounds and petroleum according to Upper Michigan Source.
“The City of Marquette is grateful to have been awarded an EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant which will be used to help the City address legacy contamination left from the historic Cliffs-Dow manufacturing site,” said Cody Mayer, Marquette Mayor. “This money is earmarked to help reduce on-site impacts to the environment and assist in putting this property back to productive use in the City.”
Another area, Bay Mills Indian Community, has also been determined to be contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances among other complications with the wells in the area by the EPA, will receive more than $330,000 to clean up a former business.
“Bay Mills Indian Community is very excited to receive the EPA Brownfields Cleanup grant,” said Rachel Lyons, Tribal Manager. “…Once clean-up is complete, this location will be revitalized to enhance our community in many ways. This will include increased access to our beautiful natural resources, creating jobs, and promoting area tourism.”
In southeast Michigan, the city of Detroit is also receiving a half million dollars towards the cleanup of a former church structure, whose nearly 100 year old building is contaminated with “metals and inorganic contaminants” according to the EPA.
“Cass Community Social Services greatly appreciates the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Cleanup Brownfield Grant. The grant money will advance our plans for the remediation of a vacant church, for the past 20 years, which will be used as a community center supporting the restoration of the Dexter-Linwood Neighborhood and the community we serve,” Executive Director of Cass Community Social Services, Reverend Faith Fowler said.
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The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Program has existed since the mid-1990 and has since provided nearly $2.4 billion in Brownfield Grants throughout the country to “assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse,” according to the agency.
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