10 Indiana Communities Receive Cash to Revive Brownfields
(LEBANON, Ind.) – The Environmental Protection Agency is sending Indiana $9.4 million to get potentially contaminated properties back on the tax rolls.
10 communities will split $3.5 million to assess so-called brownfields to determine what, if any, cleanup is needed to clear the way for new development. Another $5.9 million will go to the Indiana Finance Authority for its revolving loan fund to help cities and counties finance any necessary cleanups.
Lebanon Mayor Matt Gentry says many communities have abandoned properties they want to redevelop, but developers won’t go near them for fear they’ll be saddled with cleanup costs. That’s especially true with properties like gas stations or dry cleaners which are more likely to have leftover chemicals or underground storage tanks.
EPA regional brownfields manager Matt Didier says the grants of $150,000 to $500,000 allow cities to pay for assessments and get a “comfort letter” for prospective developers from environmental regulators, either giving the property a clean bill of health or at least letting them know in advance what the cleanup costs will be.
Along with Lebanon, the grants will go to Martinsville, Fortville, Muncie, Elkhart, South Bend, Michigan City, Sullivan, Seymour, and Vermillion County.
The money is triple Indiana’s share of the brownfield program in 2021. Congress increased funding as part of last year’s infrastructure bill.
