EPA Announces Over $1.6 Million in Brownfields Grants to Clean Up Communities Across Nebraska
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 over $1.6 million going to selectees in Nebraska.
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 Nebraska, 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.”
“We were extremely thankful to receive a phone call from the EPA, letting us know we were approved for $475,000,” said Hastings Mayor Jay Beckby. “This amount should cover the cost of removing the asbestos from the building. Once the asbestos is removed, the building will be ready for redevelopment and become an asset to the community.”
"SENDD is deeply grateful to the EPA for this generous grant, which empowers us to turn vision into action,” said Southeast Nebraska Development District Executive Director Tom Bliss. “With your support, southeast Nebraska moves one step closer to a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for all."
“I am grateful to see the city of Hastings and the Southeast Nebraska Development District were awarded funding to clean up contaminated sites,” said U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (NE). “Restoring these sites to productive use is important for local communities. The economic benefits of this project are a win for Hastings, southeast Nebraska, and the entirety of the state.”
The following organizations in Nebraska have been selected to receive EPA Brownfields funding:
- The City of Hastings has been selected to receive $475,000. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Former Hastings Middle School, located at 714 West 5th Street. The cleanup site was utilized as a public school from 1917 to 2006 and is contaminated with inorganic contaminants. Grant funds will also support six stakeholder and community meetings, six City Council meetings, and additional community engagement activities.
- The Southeast Nebraska Development District (SENDD) has been selected to receive $1.2 million. Grant funds will be used to conduct 30 Phase I and 15 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop 16 cleanup plans and support reuse planning and community engagement activities. Assessment activities will focus on the City of Lincoln’s West Haymarket neighborhood; the City of Crete’s South Crete Recreational Corridor; the South Fairbury neighborhood in the City of Fairbury; and the City of Nebraska City’s Central Business District. Priority sites include a 1.2-acre former bulk oil facility and a 0.75-acre abandoned grain elevator in West Haymarket; the 60-acre former municipal Airfield in Crete; a 0.29-acre metal salvage facility and a 0.6-acre municipal power plant in South Fairbury; and a 68,000-square-foot former hospital and a former railroad depot in Nebraska City. Non-lead coalition members include the City of Crete, City of Fairbury, and Growing Regional Economic Activity Today (GREAT).
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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