EPA Announces $13 Million in Brownfields Grants to Cleanup Communities Across Massachusetts
BOSTON (May 16, 2025) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of over $13 million in Brownfields Grants to communities across Massachusetts. These grants—which include Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants—put the agency's commitment to protect human health and the environment into action while remaining good stewards of tax dollars and advancing policies to energize the economy.
Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants in Massachusetts include:
- $1.5 million for two selectees for Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
- $8 million for two selectees for Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at Brownfields sites owned by the recipient.
Brownfields Supplemental Revolving Loan Fund Grants in Massachusetts include:
- $3.75 million for three high-performing recipients to help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated Brownfields sites. Supplemental funding for Revolving Loan Fund Grants is available to recipients that have depleted their funds and have viable cleanup projects ready for work.
"Today's Brownfields announcement reflects EPA's commitment to clean air, land, and water for every American. From rural towns to urban centers, we are helping communities across New England clean up contaminated sites and unlock new opportunities for economic growth and revitalization," said EPA Regional Administrator Mark Sanborn. "Through partnerships with states, local governments, and the private sector, we're returning blighted properties to productive use—and showing that a clean environment and economic development can go hand in hand."
"EPA's Brownfields program is a commonsense commitment to clean air, clean water, and clean land for all. I am pleased to see EPA Region 1's investment to clean up brownfield sites in Massachusetts—a win-win for the health and wealth of communities in our state and across the country," said U.S. Senator Edward Markey. "These smart reinvestments help communities from Boston to the Berkshires and from New Bedford to the Merrimack Valley transform toxic eyesores into community assets, spurring job creation and economic activity. Revitalizing underutilized and polluted lands in communities that have been left to deal with abandoned toxic waste is a challenge that deserves bipartisan solutions, which is why I worked to reauthorize the Brownfields program in 2015-2018 and fought to secure these federal funds in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."
"This is great news for Massachusetts. Helping communities clean up contaminated sites is good for our environment and good for local economies," said U.S. Representative Jim McGovern. "This work to clean up brownfields across the Commonwealth is needed and welcomed. These grants will help spur growth and unlock new possibilities for years to come."
"As one of the country's earliest industrial hubs, Central Massachusetts still bears the legacy of its manufacturing past," said Janet Pierce, Executive Director of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission. "This grant enables CMRPC to foster revitalization in communities like Southbridge, Spencer, Warren, Webster, and Worcester and help plan for the future—by assessing brownfield sites, engaging the public, and developing thoughtful reuse strategies. Together with the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation and our 40 municipalities, we're committed to transforming long-neglected properties into drivers of health, housing, and economic opportunity."
"The Town of Great Barrington is thrilled with this award of brownfield assessment funds. With this grant, we can stimulate economic development by readying derelict and potentially hazardous properties for reuse and reinvestment. We look forward to partnering again with US EPA to advance Great Barrington's community and economic development priorities," said Christopher Rembold, Interim Town Manager, Town of Great Barrington.
"With support from the EPA, we are transforming our downtown into a vibrant, healthy, and sustainable community center. We are revitalizing our economy while restoring our environment. This partnership enables us to build a healthy lasting future that will serve future generations," said Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt, Jr., City of Peabody.
The selected applicants in Massachusetts are:
- Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has been selected to receive $2,000,000 in supplemental funding for their Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund program, in addition to the $11,095,667 in EPA funds already awarded. The commission's RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to 12 cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Projects projected for use of the new funding include two sites in Adams: Memorial School and Curtis Paper property.
- Boston Redevelopment Authority has been selected to receive $4,000,000 for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up Chain Forge Building located at 105 First Avenue. The building was historically used by the United States Navy to forge anchor chains and related components until Charlestown Navy Yard closed in 1974. The building is currently vacant and contaminated with PCBs, petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and dioxins/furans. Grant funds also will be used to support community engagement activities.
- Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission has been selected to receive $1,000,000 to lead a Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct approximately 18 Phase 1 and 12 Phase 2 environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to update a brownfields inventory, prepare site reuse plans, and conduct community engagement activities. Assessment activities will focus on the Towns of Southbridge, Spencer, Warren, and Webster, and the City of Worcester. Priority sites include the 1.7-acre former textile mill at 30 Mill Street, the 0.1-acre former Town of Spencer firehouse, a 0.6-acre former industrial storage unit at 1 Linden Street, the 79-acre Wright's Mill, a 2.5-acre former coal gasification facility, the 7.3-acre Anglo Fabrics former mill complex, and the 2.4-acre, Worcester Memorial Auditorium. Coalition members include the Town of Southbridge and the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation.
- Town of Great Barrington has been selected to receive $500,000 for a Brownfields Assessment Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct up to eight Phase 1 and up to six Phase 2 environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prioritize potential sites, conduct community engagement activities, and prepare three cleanup plans. The target area for this grant is Downtown Great Barrington and Housatonic Village. Priority sites include a 0.8-acre abandoned eight-unit multifamily residential property and a 20-acre former textile mill that has been vacant since closing in 1955.
- Merrimack Valley Planning Commission has been selected to receive $750,000 in supplemental funding for their Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund program, in addition to the $4,194,929 in EPA funds already awarded. The commission's RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to 13 cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Projects projected for use of the new funding include Parcel 2 of the Tombarello Property in Lawrence and the Brown School in Newburyport.
- City of New Bedford has been selected to receive $1,000,000 in supplemental funding for their Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund program, in addition to the $800,000 in EPA funds already awarded. The city's RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to one cleanup project that is either completed or in progress. Projects projected for use of the new funding include a site at 241 Duchaine Boulevard and the Underground Railroad Café and Gallery.
- City of Peabody has been selected to receive $4,000,000 for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up the former Bob-Kat Tanning site located at 166R Main Street. This 0.7-acre site operated as a tannery beginning in the early 1700s and has remained vacant since 2003. It is contaminated with metals, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, petroleum constituents, dioxins, and furans. Grant funds also will be used to support community engagement activities.
View the full list of selected applicants here. Federal grant recipients must satisfy legal and administrative requirements to receive funds from EPA.
Background
EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in Brownfields Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. In New England alone, these investments have revitalized hundreds of sites, created jobs, and improved the quality of life in communities.
Nationally, EPA's Brownfields investments have leveraged to date more than $42 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 220,500 jobs.
For more on the Brownfields Grants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-brownfields-grant-funding
For more on EPA's Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
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