EPA Announces $18.9 million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities Across Southeast Region
Two Alabama selectees to receive $1.7 million in Brownfield Assessment Grants
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (May 16, 2025) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of 23 recipients across EPA’s Southeast Region, including two in Alabama, to receive $18,879,113 in Brownfields Grants to assess, clean up and revitalize local lands.
“The $267 million in Brownfields Grants will transform contaminated properties into valuable spaces for businesses and housing, creating new opportunities that strengthen local economies and directly benefit American families,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin. “EPA’s Brownfields Program demonstrates how environmental stewardship and economic prosperity complement each other. Under President Trump’s leadership, EPA is Powering the Great American Comeback, ensuring our nation has the cleanest air, land, and water while supporting sustainable growth and fiscal responsibility.”
“The first pillar of Administrator Zeldin’s Great American Comeback initiative promises access to clean air, land and water to every American while fostering economic growth. The revitalization of these brownfields is not just about cleaning up land, it’s about improving public health and restoring hope and opportunity in our communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. “Together, we can transform these blighted properties into vibrant spaces that foster economic growth and enhance the quality of life for residents across the Southeast.”
These investments support locally driven redevelopment, unlocking economic opportunity, creating jobs and improving human health outcomes in communities in Region 4, which covers the Southeast.
In addition to these new grants, EPA will provide $2,750,000 in supplemental funding to successful Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) recipients in Region 4. These will keep critical momentum going in communities already benefiting from Brownfields investments, ensuring continued progress toward safe and reusable land.
These grants, part of $267 million in Brownfields Grants announced nationwide by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, 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 Grants are a powerful catalyst for local economic growth. Communities in Region 4 have used previous EPA grants to assess, clean up and attract new development.
In Alabama, two recipients have been selected for Brownfields Assessment Grants totaling $1.7 million:
- The City of Birmingham has been selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct seven Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to update a brownfield site inventory, prepare four reuse plans, and conduct community engagement activities.
- The Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission has been selected to lead a $1.2 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct 34 Phase I and 17 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop nine cleanup plans and support reuse and community engagement activities. Targeted areas are the cities of Elba and Eufaula and the Highway 231 Corridor in the City of Ozark.
EPA’s Brownfields Program helps transform underutilized and blighted properties into community assets – empowering neighborhoods, protecting health and sparking lasting economic change.
Learn more about EPA’s Brownfields and Land Revitalization grant opportunities.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged 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.
View the list of selected applicants here.
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
EPA anticipates that it will make these awards once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected recipients.
For updates on the EPA’s activities in the Southeast, follow EPA Region 4 on X, Facebook and Instagram.
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