Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced over $6 million in grant awards for the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Michigan. The funding is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, aimed at advancing environmental justice and transforming polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets.
The EPA has selected seven communities in Michigan to receive grants totaling more than $5.4 million through its Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup and Revolving Loan Fund grant programs. An additional $1 million in supplemental funding will be provided to an existing high-performing Brownfields revolving loan fund grant program to expedite their work at sites in Michigan.
President Joe Biden said that his administration is ensuring that resources from his Investing in America agenda reach communities most affected by pollution. He added that these communities should be the first to see the benefits of new investment.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan echoed this sentiment, stating that President Biden sees contaminated sites as opportunities for investment in healthier, revitalized communities. He highlighted the historic funding secured under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which has supercharged the EPA’s Brownfields program.
EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore noted that the Great Lakes Region's rich industrial history brought economic prosperity but also left legacy contamination. She expressed optimism about today's announcement and ongoing investments from the Biden Administration accelerating brownfield cleanups and community redevelopment.
Phil Roos, Director of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), emphasized how addressing legacy pollution and redeveloping properties is vital for building a vibrant economy, particularly in distressed communities across Michigan.
Several other local officials including City of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan; City of South Haven Mayor Anne Brown; Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel; Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter; Tuscola County EDC Communications Director Jim McLoskey; Bay Mills Indian Community President Whitney Gravelle; and CCLBA Executive Director Krista Trout-Edwards also expressed their gratitude for the grants and outlined how they plan to utilize the funds for revitalization efforts in their respective communities.
The EPA’s Brownfields program is part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The program strives to meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity considerations in all aspects of its work.
