EPA Announces $2.5 Million in Grants to Assess and Cleanup Communities in Minnesota
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $2.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the state of Minnesota. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration’s commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water goes hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
“EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. “Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback.”
“Brownfields grants empower communities to revitalize sites that have long strained local economies and wasted valuable recreation and retail space,” said EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel. “Addressing these sites gets rid of dangerous pollution, but it also unlocks economic opportunities, allowing redevelopment and job growth.”
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country.
Below are the selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants in Minnesota:
- Mankato was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct four Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments, develop a brownfields site inventory, create one cleanup plan, and support community engagement activities.
- Rochester was selected for a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to: conduct 11 Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments, develop cleanup plans, a land reuse plan, and support community engagement activities.
- Washington County Community Development Agency was selected to lead a $1.5 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant to: conduct 15 Phase I and 12 Phase II environmental site assessments, create a community involvement plan, prepare a GIS inventory, develop cleanup plans, and conduct community engagement activities.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
View the list of all selected applicants here.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 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 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.