The Biden administration recently issued grants worth approximately $6 million through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to examine or clean up brownfields and promote revolving credit initiatives in Ohio.
The grants are backed by Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which grants $1.5 billion to help promote environmental equity, encourage economic regeneration and generate jobs by cleaning contaminated brownfield sites. according to a May 12 EPA news release.
“With today’s announcement, we’re turning blight into might for communities across America. EPA’s Brownfields Program breathes new life into communities by helping to turn contaminated and potentially dangerous sites into productive economic contributors," EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in the release. "Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are significantly ramping up our investments in communities, with the bulk of our funding going to places that have been overburdened and underserved for far too long.”
The Brownfields Program supports Biden's Justice40 Program, which seeks to distribute 40% of certain government programs benefits to underprivileged areas.
“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, even larger investments will be headed to Ohio in the years to come to clean up toxic sites disproportionately located in Black neighborhoods that are sources of blight and pollution,” Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Akron, stated in the release.
Approximately 86% of the communities selected to receive funding as a result of these recent grants have filed projects for historically underprivileged locations, the release reported.
“The redevelopment of formerly contaminated brownfield sites is an opportunity for new growth for communities across Ohio," Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, stated, according to the release. "These funds will help support revitalization efforts critical to the safety and economic success of our state."
The grants include $3.5 million from Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill as well as $2.5 million from fiscal year 2022 funds, the release reported.
