U.S. EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant

Overview

Region 1 Planning Council (R1), in collaboration with the local engineering firm Fehr Graham, is applying for a grant to support future economic development. This funding aims to address contamination at 1800 Broadway in Rockford and to draft a comprehensive plan for the cleanup and sustainable reuse of this site.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers a Brownfield program that offers grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes, and other entities for the assessment, safe cleanup, and sustainable redevelopment of contaminated properties. The site at 1800 Broadway previously housed a deteriorating industrial building that was deemed unsafe and structurally unsound by building code officials. Following its demolition due to the risk of collapse, the lot was left vacant, but harmful toxins remain in the soil. Securing funding for a thorough cleanup is essential before any construction can take place.

U.S. EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grants provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the applicant.

Performance period is up to 4 years.
Sites may not receive this funding more than once.
Applicants may request up to $500,000, up to $2 million or up to $4 million to address one or more brownfield sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants or petroleum.
Applicants may submit only one Cleanup Grant application each competition cycle.

The grant considers a brownfield site as a real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, contaminant, controlled substance, petroleum, or petroleum product, or is mine-scarred land. This program is being funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”).

With this funding, R1 aims to cleanup and prepare the site at 1800 Broadway for redevelopment.

The drafted grant application will be linked here shortly.

1800 Broadway, Rockford, IL 61104
Acreage – 4.07
Parcel Description – Vacant Industrial Land
Zoning District – I1 (Light Industrial)

Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives