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EPA Announces Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes to Receive $300,000 in Brownfields Cleanup Funding
The grant awards help underserved communities across the country Build Back Better and address Environmental Justice concerns
Media contacts: Jennah Durant at r6press@epa.gov or 214 665-2200
DALLAS – (June 17, 2021) Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are among the 151 recipients of 154 grant awards totaling $66.5 million in Brownfields funding through its Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grants. The Tribes plans to use their $300,000 cleanup grant for Building 138 on the Concho School property in Concho, Oklahoma. Constructed in 1967, the property was used as the boys’ dormitory of the Concho School from 1969 until 1981, when it was closed due to federal funding cuts and the need for several repairs. The site has been unoccupied and dormant for several years and is contaminated with inorganic materials and heavy metals.
This funding will support underserved and economically disadvantaged communities across the country in assessing and cleaning up contaminated and abandoned industrial and commercial properties. Approximately 50 percent of selected recipients are receiving EPA Brownfields grant funding for the first time and more than 85 percent serve small communities.
“Through our Brownfields Program, EPA is delivering on the Biden Administration’s commitment to lifting up and protecting overburdened communities across America, especially communities that have experienced long periods of disinvestment and decay,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These assessment and cleanup grants will not only support economic growth and job creation, but they will also empower communities to address the environmental, public health, and social issues associated with contaminated land.”
“The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes remain a strong partner in brownfields work through thoughtful planning that helps leverage funding for greater benefits,” said Acting Regional Administrator David Gray. “Cleanup of the abandoned Concho School property will help turn the site into an asset for the tribal community.”
“My main concern for Tribal members and the public when they come to Concho is to keep them safe, and to provide a healthy environment for all to enjoy,” said Governor Reggie Wassana. “The cleanup activities at the school will improve the community of Concho and continue our work to revitalize the site.”
Today’s grant announcement includes:
- $42.2 million for 107 Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
- $15.5 million for 36 Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.
The list of the fiscal year 2021 applicants selected for funding is available here: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicants-selected-fy-2021-brownfields-multipurpose-assessment-and-cleanup-grants
EPA anticipates that it will award the grants once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by the selected recipients.
Since its inception in 1995, EPA’s Brownfields Program has provided nearly $1.76 billion in grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return them to productive reuse. This has led to significant benefits for communities across the country. For example:
- To date, communities participating in the Brownfields Program have been able to attract more than $34.4 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding after receiving Brownfields funds. This has led to over 175,500 jobs in cleanup, construction, and redevelopment.
- Based on grant recipient reporting, recipients leveraged on average $20.13 for each EPA Brownfields dollar and 10.3 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds expended on assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan fund cooperative agreements.
- In addition, an academic peer-reviewed study has found that residential properties near brownfield sites increased in value by 5% to 15.2% as a result of cleanup activities.
- Finally, analyzing data near 48 brownfields, EPA found an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue for local governments in a single year after cleanup—2 to 7 times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to the cleanup of those brownfield sites.
For more on the Brownfields Grants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-epa-brownfield-grant-funding
For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
Connect with EPA Region 6:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6
Activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central
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