News Releases from Region 03

EPA Awards $800,000 in Brownfields Grants to Assess Properties in Montgomery Countys Norristown, Pottstown Areas for Redevelopment

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 9, 2015) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the award of $800,000 in brownfields grants: $400,000 to the Municipality of Norristown and $400,000 to the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority. The funding will be used to assess abandoned industrial sites in Norristown and Pottstown, Pa., that may be potentially contaminated with hazardous substances so they can be cleaned up and redeveloped.

"Brownfields environmental assessments help remove one of the critical barriers to redevelopment and reuse," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. "This funding supports Norristown's and Pottstown's plans for improving the quality of life of their residents by reclaiming areas for housing, commercial development and open space and at the same time protecting public health and the environment."

Brownfields are properties where real or suspected environmental contamination has prevented productive reuse of those properties.

Regional Administrator Garvin made the announcement today from Norristown's Lafayette Extension - a revitalized corridor at Lafayette and Ford streets. This latest EPA funding brings the total to $800,000 awarded to Norristown for brownfields assessments. With its first $400,000 grant awarded in 2013, Norristown identified 60 brownfields sites and assessed 10 properties for potential redevelopment. The Municipality will use this second grant to expand its inventory of brownfields sites for future mixed-use residential and commercial development and open space areas.

Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority will use its $400,000 brownfields grant to support efforts with the Pottstown Area Industrial Development to conduct at least 10 environmental impact assessments at properties that have been identified for potential reuse. These assessments support Pottstown's redevelopment plans to make the borough a center for more business and employment.

These grants were among 243 brownfields grants totaling $54.3 million that EPA awarded nationwide this year.

For information about environmental assessment grants: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/assessment_grants.htm.

For a list of all brownfields grants by state: http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/.