EPA Announces $18.9 million in Grants to Assess and Clean up Communities Across Southeast Region
Kentucky to receive $3,481,450 in Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants, and $750,000 in Brownfields Revolving Loan Funds
Frankfort, Ky. (May 16, 2025) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of 23 recipients across EPA’s Southeast Region, including six in Kentucky, 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.
Kentucky will receive Brownfields Cleanup and Assessment Grants totaling $3,481,450 and $750,000 in Brownfields Revolving Loan Funds:
- The Ballard County Economic and Development Board will receive a Brownfields Cleanup Grant of $1,081,850 funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up the old Barlow School and fund community engagement activities.
- The Cumberland Valley Area Development District will lead a $1.2 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant. Funds will be used to conduct 30 Phase I and 15 Phase II environmental site assessments; develop eight cleanup plans, eight reuse assessments and three revitalization plans; and support community engagement activities. Targeted areas are the cities of Lynch, Benham and Cumberland.
- The City of Frankfort will receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant. Funds will be used to conduct 11 Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments, identify and inventory brownfield sites, develop cleanup plans, conduct health monitoring activities and conduct community engagement activities. The targeted area is the City of Frankfort's Holmes Street Corridor.
- The Gateway Area Development District will receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant. Funds will be used to conduct ten Phase I and three Phase II environmental site assessments, inventory brownfield sites, develop three cleanup plans, and support reuse planning and community engagement. Target areas are the cities of Salt Lick, Frenchburg, Mount Sterling, West Liberty and Morehead.
- The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection has been selected to receive a $2 million Brownfields Communitywide Assessment Grant for States and Tribes. Funds will be used to conduct 75 Phase I and 17 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to conduct 50 hazardous building surveys and six visioning charrettes; develop 20 site cleanup plans, three brownfields revitalization plans, and three site reuse plans; and hold 50 community engagement events and support other community engagement activities. The targeted areas are the cities of Louisville, Maysville and Scottsville.
- The Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government will receive $750,000 in Brownfield Revolving Loan Funds through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Projects identified for funds include Louisville Gardens and the Beargrass Creek Greenway in Louisville.
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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