EPA Announces Nearly $5.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Clean Up Communities Across Iowa
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 $5.5 million going to selectees in Iowa.
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 Iowa, 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.”
“ECIA is incredibly grateful to receive additional funds from EPA to replenish our Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), which will help finance cleanup projects across eastern Iowa,” said East Central Intergovernmental Association Brownfields Coordinator Dawn Danielson. “Many communities are burdened with brownfield sites but lack the resources to address them. The EPA Brownfield funds have truly been a game changer for us. The ripple effect of EPA’s investments is transformational, not only for the site itself but also for surrounding properties.”
Danielson continued, “These funds represent critical initial investments in vacant, abandon and contaminated sites. Once remediated, these sites become catalysts for economic development, alleviate environmental concerns, and breathes new life into entire communities. ECIA has multiple projects underway using the RLF funds and looks forward to using additional EPA supplemental funds to assist even more projects in the near future.”
“This EPA Assessment Grant is a valuable step forward for Le Mars,” said Le Mars Mayor Rob Bixenman. “It will help us accelerate implementation of our Community Development Plan by providing the due diligence needed to prepare strategic redevelopment sites. This support will give our local developers the information and confidence they need to invest in these properties and bring new life to key areas of our community.”
“The City of Clinton is thrilled to be able to partner again with EPA Region 7 on another Brownfields Grant,” said Clinton City Administrator Matt Brooke. “This grant funding will enable Clinton to continue a crucial environmental cleanup project. Removal of the pool section of the former YMCA building is the last crucial step for the site to be ready for redevelopment. Clinton continues to work toward a cleaner and greener community for all people to live, work, and enjoy.”
“On behalf of the city, we are grateful to the EPA and IDNR for the opportunity to work on Brownfield assessments in Red Oak,” said Red Oak City Administrator Lisa Kotter. “Our elected officials have prioritized the cleanup and redevelopment of various sites, and this is a major step forward in that effort.”
“By transforming once-polluted sites into community assets, this federal investment will support the health and safety of Iowans, while providing a significant boost to our state’s economy,” said U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (IA). “I’m glad to see federal dollars put to good use in Iowa, and I applaud the Trump administration for its work to strengthen local communities and safeguard the environment. This is another example of promises made, promises kept by Administrator Zeldin and the Trump administration as they prioritize EPA’s core mission of clean air and clean water.”
“I thank President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for deploying $400,000 to the City of Le Mars to redevelop contaminated spaces into new and valuable assets, including businesses, affordable housing, parks, recreation centers, and other community-centered initiatives. This investment brings taxpayer dollars home to Iowa and underscores the Trump administration’s unwavering commitment to strengthening and growing rural communities,” said U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04). “Towns like Le Mars will use these funds to support local businesses, fuel economic growth, and keep rural Iowa a great place to live, work, raise a family, and retire. The EPA’s Great American Comeback is delivering for rural Iowa, and I once again commend President Trump and his administration for prioritizing rural investment and growth.”
“This is a win for Red Oak and for rural Iowa. By cleaning up abandoned sites along the Broadway Corridor, this effort will open the door to new jobs, small businesses, and community renewal,” said U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03). “I’m proud to support smart investments that put taxpayer dollars to work for the long-term growth and success of Iowa’s hometowns.”
“I am pleased to see this investment secured for my district,” said U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson (IA-02). “Thanks to President Trump, the EPA is returning to its core mission of protecting human health and the environment, while driving a historic revival of commonsense solutions and reducing regulatory burdens on Americans. Since coming to Congress, my goal has always been to keep Iowa the best place to live, work, and raise a family. These grants will offer valuable resources to eliminate contamination and keep our land healthy and free from harmful waste.”
The following organizations in Iowa have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding:
- The City of Clinton has been selected to receive $1,091,917. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Clinton YMCA property, located at 480 S. 3rd Street. The now-vacant, 0.96-acre cleanup site operated as a YMCA until 2021 and is contaminated with inorganic contaminants. Grant funds also will be used to finalize a Community Involvement Plan and support community engagement activities.
- The East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) has been selected to receive $1.5 million in addition to the $4.8 million in EPA funds already awarded, because it has a high-performing revolving loan fund (RLF) program with significantly depleted funds. The RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to three cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Projects highlighted for use of funding include a Former YMCA in Clinton and parcel A of the Former Blum property in Dubuque.
- The City of Keokuk has been selected to receive $1,996,900. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Southern Parcel, located at 365 Carbide Lane. The 16.37-acre cleanup site was developed in 1915 for smelting and refining zinc and lead. Other products produced at the site included electrode paste, tin cans, casting metals, bearings, and various carbide products. The site is contaminated with coal tar and zinc smelting by-products; coal and petroleum coke stockpiles containing high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); and heavy metals. The carbide plant ceased operations in the late 1980s. Grant funds also will be used to conduct two public meetings and support community engagement activities.
- The City of Le Mars has been selected to receive $400,000. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 18 Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop three cleanup plans and support community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is the Business 75 Corridor in the City of Le Mars. Priority sites include an 8.2-acre former Walmart; a 6.14-acre, former meat-packing plant; a 0.2-acre, vacant landscaping company; and a 2.33-acre unused hotel.
- The City of Red Oak has been selected to receive $500,000. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 13 Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop an inventory of brownfield sites and conduct community engagement and reuse planning activities. The target area for this grant is Red Oak's Broadway Corridor. Priority sites include a 1.16-acre, former grocery store and a 0.23-acre, former service station.
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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