News Releases - 2002

Brownfields Grants Awarded to 14 Communities

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano recognized 14 Illinois communities as recipients of Municipal Brownfields Redevelopment Grants at the annual Illinois Brownfields Conference this week.

"We are pleased to enter into these additional partnerships with local governments across the state to reclaim potentially contaminated industrial and commercial sites and restore them to productive use and bring back jobs and tax revenues," said Director Cipriano.

"Illinois communities have received $5.1million, to date, for environmental assessments of brownfields sites, a real catalyst for moving forward and one of several state initiatives that has made Illinois a national leader in this area," added Governor George H. Ryan. The grants of up to $240,000 per community can be used for environmental evaluation of the sites and development of cleanup plans.

This year's conference was held at Starved Rock State Park. About 150 local government officials and their consultants attended the event, making it the best-attended conference to date. In 2001, Illinois combined its annual conference with the National Brownfields Conference in Chicago.

Session topics included updates on regulatory changes and information and exhibitions concerning environmental assessments.

Illinois EPA was joined by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and the Illinois Municipal League in sponsoring this year's conference.

The grants will be used to identify, investigate and characterize sites, determine clean up objectives and develop remedial action plans. The latest grant recipients and the amounts of the awards are:

Village of Arthur - $30,953
The grant will be used to perform an environmental assessment of a former gas station property, to be used as a much-needed new residential subdivision.

City of Belleville - $44,116
The City of Belleville will assess abandoned properties along the West Main Street Corridor. The grant will allow the City to prepare an overall economic redevelopment strategy for this corridor.

City of Chicago Heights - $120,000
Grant dollars will be used to conduct investigations within an established Enterprise Zone. These parcels have been prioritized for redevelopment through a site selection process funded by a U.S.EPA pilot grant. Chicago Heights is one of five communities that comprise the South Suburban Chicago Brownfields Coalition.

Village of Crete - $56,314
The site is a former wastewater treatment facility and is suspected of having both petroleum and hazardous waste contamination. Grant funds will be used to perform a Phase Two environmental site assessment and develop a remedial action plan.

Village of Franklin Park - $65,503
Franklin Park will use grant funds to conduct environmental assessments on a two-block area of downtown Franklin Park. The proposed redevelopment of this area is part of the village's overall downtown revitalization plan.

Village of Lynwood -$26,096
Lynwood will use grant funds to conduct Phase I and Phase II investigations on a former service station. Due to its location, this property has considerable appeal for commercial and retail redevelopment.

City of Monticello -$118,176
Monticello will use grant funds to conduct site assessment work on four properties near the City's historical downtown; the properties are favorably situated for future economic redevelopment.

City of Mt. Carmel - $15,713
Mt. Carmel is partnering with Federal Assembly to redevelop a former diesel repair facility that sits on two acres along the main thoroughfare into town. The grant will be used to perform an investigation to determine if any contamination issues that need to be resolved prior to purchase. If successful, this will bring in at least 50 new jobs to the area.

City of Plano - $90,014
Plano will use grant dollars to conduct Phase I and Phase II investigation activities at the former Monarch Foundry site. The parcel is a key component in the city's plan to renovate the Route 34 corridor.

City of Quincy - $21,238
The grant will be used to perform Phase One and Two assessments and to develop a remedial action plan at a former construction company site with suspected petroleum contamination. This site, which is located within a residential area, will be sold for new residential lots.

Village of South Chicago Heights - $120,000
The village will use the grant to conduct Phase I and Phase II investigation activities at three abandoned or underutilized properties. These parcels have been prioritized for redevelopment through a site selection process funded by a U.S.EPA pilot grant. South Chicago Heights is one of five communities, which comprise the South Suburban Chicago Brownfields Coalition.

City of Sterling - $120,000
The grant will fund Phase I and Phase II assessment activities and the development of remedial action plans for a focus area within the 700 acre closed Northwestern Steel and Wire facility.

City of Streator -$120,000
Streator will use the grant to conduct site assessment work on three properties. The City plans to convert one property into a Public Works Department complex and the other two properties into additional parking for City Hall and an adjacent public library.

Village of Summit -$49,373
The grant will be used to conduct site investigations and develop a remedial action plan at a former gasoline/automotive service station. The site will be redeveloped into a commercial facility.

The Conference also offers attendees training to help them accomplish brownfields-related goals for their communities and information on other funding opportunities for which their community may be eligible.