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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Region 6 Office released a June 7th news release describing three Arkansas recipients of brownfield grants.
The State of Arkansas is in EPA’s Region 6.
A total of $2 million has been awarded for the following Arkansas recipients:
- Central Arkansas Planning and Development District
- $500,000 Community Wide Assessment grant targeting the City of Brinkley
- Encourage redevelopment to use energy efficient sources and renewable energy including a 1.5-acre city park with a community gathering area and greenspace for exercise and leisure
- West Arkansas Planning and Development District
- $500,000 Community Wide Assessment grant
- Targets two priority sites in Hot Springs
- Old St. Joseph Hospital
- Former Velda Rose Hotel
City will work with the current property owner/local developers to pursue reusing the sites as residential condominiums/affordable housing, and/or multi-use residential property
- Westminster Village of the Mid-South
- $1,000,000 cleanup grant for Westminster Village Retirement Community
- Provision of affordable housing for elderly residents in Blytheville
- Community comprised of housing and storage structures associated with the former Eaker Air Force Base
- Facilitate the cleanup and renovate additional spaces for new resident housing
The federal government and many states (including Arkansas) have statutes, regulations, and policies that are intended to address “brownfields.” Brownfields are often referred to as rural property (improved and unimproved), the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.
Incentive provisions, funding programs, liability exemptions, and action/cleanup standards have been utilized for a number of years to attempt to reduce the barriers for reuse or redevelopment of brownfield properties. The goal of the brownfield program is to encourage redevelopment and investment in such properties to increase the local tax base, facilitate job growth, utilize existing infrastructure, encourage infield use, and take pressure off greenspace.
A copy of the EPA Region 6 news release can be downloaded here.
