EPA Announces $8.2 Million in Brownfields Grants to Clean Up Communities Across Missouri
LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 23, 2025) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the selection of $267 million in Brownfields Grants to communities across the United States, with $8.2 million going to selectees in Missouri.
These grants 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.
“The $267 million in Brownfield 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.”
“EPA Region 7 is proud to work with our partners across the state of Missouri, advancing cooperative federalism and empowering local and state partners to take the lead in revitalizing their communities,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy. “This collaborative approach ensures fiscal responsibility, promotes economic development, and transforms potentially contaminated properties into clean, usable land that supports long-term growth and sustainability.”
“The Bootheel Regional Planning Commission is honored to receive this Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant from EPA,” said Bootheel Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Jim Grebing. “This funding strengthens our ability to work alongside our six counties and the residents of the many cities within them to identify and assess underutilized or contaminated properties. By removing barriers for redevelopment, we’re creating pathways to cleaner, safer, and more economically vibrant communities throughout the Bootheel. We’re grateful for the EPA’s continued partnership in supporting this critical work.”
"The $6 million EPA investment will accelerate our work transforming environmental challenges into neighborhood opportunities,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. “With $4 million to clean up sites in Washington Wheatley and at 18th and Agnes, plus $2 million for our Revolving Loan Fund, we're creating a pathway for affordable housing and economic growth, particularly east of Troost. Being one of only eight cities nationwide to receive a cleanup grant at this level recognizes Kansas City's leadership in equitable community development through brownfields revitalization."
“This gives Springfield the ability to plan for the redevelopment of properties that have stood in the way of economic progress for too long,” said Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag. “This funding will help us address environmental concerns and begin implementing key priorities outlined in Forward SGF. We are grateful to the EPA for recognizing our city’s vision and providing support through this $500,000 EPA Assessment Grant to identify and assess brownfields sites.”
"Tabernacle Community Development Corporation thanks the Environmental Protection Agency for this grant award,” said Tabernacle Community Development Corporation President Pastor Andre Alexander. “There are a plethora of environmental challenges as well as needs in our community and this grant will allow us the opportunity to start rectifying the issues."
The following organizations in Missouri have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding:
- The Bootheel Regional Planning Commission has been selected to receive $1.2 million. Grant funds will be used to conduct 40 Phase I and 15 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop six cleanup plans and support community engagement activities. Assessment activities will focus on six census tracts in Dunklin, New Madrid, and Scott counties. Priority sites include the 2-acre, former Lincoln Junior High School; an 8-acre vacant facility located on Southeast Missouri State University that once operated a soda bottling company; a 0.52-acre, former automotive dealership; the 6-acre, former Sinkers Corporation site; and the 25.51-acre, former Dunklin County Compress site. Non-lead coalition members include Dunklin County and the City of Morehouse.
- The City of Kansas City has been selected to receive a $4 million Brownfields Cleanup Grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up 47 vacant parcels known as the Washington Wheatley Vacant Lots site on Agnes Avenue, Walrond Avenue, East 19th Street, and East 20th Street; and the former Benson Manufacturing Company site, located at the intersection of East 18th Street and Agnes Avenue. The Washington Wheatley Vacant Lots were used primarily as residential properties since 1936 and are contaminated with PCBs, semi-volatile organic contaminants (SVOCs), and heavy metals. Operations at the former Benson Manufacturing Company site included the production of fabricated brass, aluminum, and other metal alloys used in aircraft parts, light fixtures, architectural ornamentation, appliances, and aluminum barrels for breweries. Over time, the site also housed a lumber mill, a coal and ice company, a furniture manufacturer, a printing company, a limousine service, and various other commercial businesses. It is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), petroleum, and heavy metals. Grant funds also will be used to conduct 16 public meetings. In addition, the City of Kansas City Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) has been selected to receive $2 million because it has a high-performing RLF program with significantly depleted funds. The RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to 11 cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Projects highlighted for use of the funding include the Parade Park Homes Redevelopment site and the Unity Campus.
- The City of Springfield has been selected to receive $500,000. Community-wide grant funds will be used to inventory brownfield sites and conduct 20 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop four cleanup plans and two area-wide plans, and support community engagement. The target area for this grant includes the Chase Street Corridor and College Street Corridor in Springfield. Priority sites include a 24,000-square-foot foundry complex; a 5.62-acre rail yard; and a 0.96-acre site previously used for auto sales, repair, and salvage.
- The Tabernacle Community Development Corporation has been selected to receive $500,000. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 17 Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop two cleanup plans and support reuse planning and community engagement activities. The target area for this grant includes the Village Phase I and II neighborhoods of the City of St. Louis. Priority sites include a 0.68-acre, former plumbing and heating warehouse, and a 0.27-acre former school.
Federal grant recipients must satisfy legal and administrative requirements to receive funds from EPA.
Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants include:
- ~$121.8 million for 148 selectees for Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
- ~$88.2 million for 51 selectees for Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.
- $15 million for 15 selectees for Revolving Loan Fund grants, which will provide funding for recipients to offer loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.
Brownfields Supplemental Revolving Loan Fund Grants include:
- $42 million for 34 high-performing recipients to help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties. Supplemental funding for Revolving Loan Fund Grants is available to recipients that have depleted their funds and have viable cleanup projects ready for work.
View the list of selected applicants here.
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 over $42 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage over 220,500 jobs from both public and private sources.
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