The City of Houston has received a grant award from the U.S Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the Browning funding through its Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grants. Houston is among the 151 recipients of 154 grant awards, amounting to $66.5 million.
The City intends to use its $600,000 to assess construction sites, prepare cleanup plans, and expand outreach plans. The targeted areas for the assessment activities are East End, Near Northside, Kashmere Gardens, and Gulfton. The City of Houston is partnered with the Avenue Community Development Corporation.
This funding will support marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities in assessing and cleaning up industrial and commercial waste. As many as 50 percent of selected recipients receive the grant funding for the first time, over 85 percent serve small communities.
“These assessment and cleanup grants will support economic growth and job creation, and also empower communities to address the environmental, public health, and social issues associated with contaminated land,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.
“Houston’s partnership with brownfields is putting it to use in areas of the city where it can be truly transformative,” said Acting Regional Administrator David Gray. “EPA is proud to support this work that will benefit neighborhoods and communities often overburdened by contamination.”
The EPA also announces the following:
- $8.8 million for 11 Multipurpose Grants, which will provide funding to conduct a range of eligible assessment and cleanup activities at one or more brownfield sites in a target area.
- $42.2 million for 107 Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
- $15.5 million for 36 Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.
To see the list of the fiscal year 2021 applicants selected for EPA Brownfields grant funding, visit https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicants-selected-fy-2021-brownfields-multipurpose-assessment-and-cleanup-grants.