U.S. EPA Brownfields Program

in Illinois

Every year, the federal Brownfields program awards several
types of grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up prop-
erties across the country and to provide job training in envi-
ronmental fields for low-income and minority unemployed
residents. The program also provides direct technical assistance
at no cost to communities to increase their understanding and
involvement in brownfields cleanup and revitalization. The
reuse of brownfield sites not only betters the health of the en-
vironment and community, but brownfield revitalization helps
stimulate communities economically. In the past 5 years, entities
across Illinois have received 17 competitive grants totaling $8
million to assess, clean up, and revitalize brownfield properties.

Brownfield sites in Illinois
Accomplishments over the past 5 years include:

•	277 site assessments completed, with 132 site assess-
ments completed in Justice40 communities (census tracts
identified as disadvantaged, as defined by the White House
Council on Environmental Quality]

•	4 sites cleaned up

® $148 million leveraged

•	886 jobs created

•	71 properties made ready for anticipated use

Section 128(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncom-
petitive funding to states and tribes to establish and enhance re-
sponse programs overseeing assessment and cleanup activities
at brownfield sites across the country. The Illinois Environmen-
tal Protection Agency uses its 128(a) funds to support capacity
building for its Brownfields and Voluntary Cleanup Program
and enrolled 232 properties in its response program in the last
federal fiscal year.

August 2023

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

Greencorps, a job training grantee based in Chicago, recruits mostly
students living in environmental justice communities located on
the South and West sides of Chicago. The green-industry employ-
ment program provides on-the-job training and promotes environ-
mental stewardship. To date, Greencorps has trained and placed
556 residents in environmental jobs.

The non-profit Moving Pillsbuiy Forward received Land Revitaliza-
tion Technical Assistance to estimate remediation and demolition
costs, develop conceptual plans for site reuse options, and explore
financial options for the former Pillsbury Mills plant in Springfield,
Illinois. The former food processing facility, which sits on 18 acres
of land and previously consisted of warehouses, office buildings,
grain-mixing buildings, and over 140 grain storage silos, has been
a generational community challenge since its closing 20 years ago.
U.S. EPA, Illinois EPA, and contractors worked with local communi-
ty stakeholders to build a framework for redevelopment.

£381

Pillsbury Mills site

CONTACT US

John Jurevis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
Jurevis.John@epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5


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U.S. EPA Brownfields Program

in Indiana

Every year, the federal Brownfields program awards several types of
grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up properties across the
country and to provide job training in environmental fields for low-in-
come and minority unemployed residents. The program also provides
direct technical assistance at no cost to communities to increase their
understanding and involvement in brownfields cleanup and revitaliza-
tion. The reuse of brownfield sites not only betters the health of the en-
vironment and community, but brownfield revitalization helps stimulate
communities economically. In the past 5 years, entities across the state
of Indiana have received 35 competitive grants totaling $16 million to
assess, clean up, and revitalize brownfield properties.

•'V, •
-*» r • ••

August 2023

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

IFA also executes a high performing, 15-year, $9.8 million Revolving
Loan Fund. IFA has issued 14 subgrants and nine loans with four loans
having completed redevelopment. Each of the subgrants and loans were
leveraged with other funds including U.S. EPA grants and State loans. A
recent success is EPA's approval of a waiver request for the Arnolt Corpo-
ration site in Warsaw, which increased the allowed subgrant amount to
$513,579. Funding supported asbestos abatement, floor cleaning, build-
ing demolition, monitoring well installation, and remediation system
planning and installation.

RecycleForce, a job training grantee based in Indianapolis, targets un-
employed residents of Marion County and trains them on skills to assess
and clean up brownfield sites. To date, RecycleForce has trained and
placed 117 residents in environmental jobs.

Brownfield sites in Indiana

Recycle Force job training students

Accomplishments over the past 5 years include:

•	388 site assessments completed, with 216 assessments completed
in Justice40 communities (census tracts identified as disadvan-
taged, as defined by the White House Council on Environmental
Quality)

» 13 sites cleaned up

•	$439 million leveraged

•	2,535 jobs created

» 129 properties made ready for anticipated use

The low-income Near Northwest Neighborhood of Indianapolis received
land revitalization technical assistance as part of Groundwork Indy's
Community-Led Environmental Action Plan (C-LEAP) project. The
neighborhood was formerly redlined and more than 35% of properties
are vacant. The project was completed in three phases starting with
community engagement with local residents. Feedback from residents
was turned into an Environmental Action Plan for phase two. The third
phase was completed in November 2022 with a funding charrette in
Indianapolis that brought together nonprofits, the city, and other local
stakeholders.

Section 128(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compen-
sation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncompetitive funding to
states and tribes to establish and enhance response programs overseeing
assessment and cleanup activities at brownfield sites across the country.
The Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) uses their 128(a) funds to support
capacity building for their Brownfields program and enrolled 111 prop-
erties in their response program in the last federal fiscal year.

CONTACT US

John Jurevis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
Jurevis.John@epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5


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U.S. EPA Brownfields Program
in Michigan

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

CONTACT US

Every year, the federal Brownfields program awards several types
of grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up properties across
the country and to provide job training in environmental fields
for low-income and minority unemployed residents. The program
also provides direct technical assistance at no cost to communities
to increase their understanding and involvement in brownfields
cleanup and revitalization. The reuse of brownfield sites not
only betters the health of the environment and community, but
brownfield revitalization helps stimulate communities economi-
cally. In the past 5 years, entities across the State of Michigan have
received 28 competitive grants totaling $13 million to assess, clean
up, and revitalize brownfield properties.

John Jurevis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
Jurevis.John@epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5

Brownfield sites in Michigan

Accomplishments over the past 5 years include:

•	797 site assessments completed, with 364 site assessments
completed in Justice40 communities (census tracts identified
as disadvantaged, as defined by the White House Council on
Environmental Quality)

•	22 sites cleaned up

•	$752 million leveraged

•	4,859 jobs created

® 375 properties made ready for anticipated use

Section 128(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncom-
petitive funding to states and tribes to establish and enhance
response programs overseeing assessment and cleanup activities
at brownfield sites across the country. The Michigan Department
of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy uses its 128(a) funds
to support capacity building for its Brownfields program and en-
rolled 1,803 properties in its response program in the last federal
fiscal year.

August 2023

Southwest Economic Solutions Corporation, a job training grantee,
helps individuals in the Detroit area obtain the skills, resources,
and opportunities they need for gainful employment. To date,
Southwest Economic Solutions Corporation has trained and placed
142 residents in environmental jobs.

U.S. EPA representatives meeting with Southwest Economic Solutions
job training providers

Hillsdale and Lenawee counties in Michigan received Land Revi-
talization Technical Assistance focusing on affordable housing and
brownfields education. The counties were recommended for the
project by the state and sought a market analysis to confirm their
plans for workforce housing. The market analysis will analyze
a brownfield site in each community with regards to housing
needs. Consultants also created 'Brownfields 101' and 'Housing &
Finance' trainings that were put on for both counties and again for
the wider Region 5 audience.


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U.S. EPA Brownfields Program
in Minnesota

Every year, the federal Brownfields program awards several types
of grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up properties across
the country and to provide job training in environmental fields
for low-income and minority unemployed residents. The program
also provides direct technical assistance at no cost to communities
to increase their understanding and involvement in brownfields
cleanup and revitalization. The reuse of brownfield sites not
only betters the health of the environment and community, but
brownfield revitalization helps stimulate communities econom-
ically. In the past 5 years, entities across the state of Minnesota
have received 11 competitive grants totaling $6.5 million to assess,
clean up, and revitalize brownfield properties.

Broimfield sites in Minnesota
Accomplishments over the past 5 years include:

•	133 site assessments completed, with 28 site assessments
completed injustice40 communities (census tracts identified
as disadvantaged, as defined by the White House Council on
Environmental Quality)

•	18 sites cleaned up

•	$213 million leveraged

•	2,399 jobs created

•	36 properties made ready for anticipated use

Section 128(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncompeti-
tive funding to states and tribes to establish and enhance response
programs overseeing assessment and cleanup activities at brown-
field sites across the country. The Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency uses its 128(a) funds to provide technical assistance and
issuance of liability assurance letters to promote the investigation,
cleanup, and redevelopment of contaminated properties.

August 2023

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has also used 128(a)
funds in tandem with 104(k) brownfields assessment funds to
target sites in Environmental Justice neighborhoods for affordable
workforce housing, greenspace, and neighborhood-level economic
development, and that would promote use of existing infrastruc-
ture. Multiple assessed sites have been redeveloped including a
former auto repair shop in St. Paul thafs now a glassmaking studio
and a former warehouse in Minneapolis thats now apartments and
a diner.

Former warehouse in Minneapolis redeveloped
into apartments and a diner

The city of Duluth used assessment grant funds to assess a vacant
former county jail constructed in the 1920s and added to the
National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Using EPA Brownfield
Revolving Loan Funds, state and federal historic tax credits, and
other local funding, the 93-cell county jail was transformed into
the Leijona. Following extensive hazardous material remediation, a
33-unit mixed-income apartment complex retains historic charac-
teristics like steel plate walls and original fixtures.

CONTACT US

John Jure vis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
Jurevis.John@epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https: //www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5


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U.S. EPA Brownfields Program

in Ohio

Eveiy year, the federal Brownfields program awards several types
of grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up properties across
the country and to provide job training in environmental fields
for low-income and minority unemployed residents. The program
also provides direct technical assistance at no cost to communities
to increase their understanding and involvement in brownfields
cleanup and revitalization. The reuse of brownfield sites not only
betters the health of the environment and community, but brown-
field revitalization helps stimulate communities economically. In
the past 5 years, entities across the state of Ohio have received 21
competitive grants totaling $ 12 million to assess, clean up, and
revitalize brownfield properties.

Brownfield sites in Ohio

Accomplishments over the past 5 years include:

•	435 site assessments completed, with 230 site assessments
completed in Justice40 communities (census tracts identified
as disadvantaged, as defined by the White House Council on
Environmental Quality]

•	14 sites cleaned up

•	$527 million leveraged

•	3,193 jobs created

•	192 properties made ready for anticipated use

August 2023

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners, a job training grantee,
builds upon findings from their recent U.S. EPA Brownfields Com-
munity-Wide Assessment Grant to target areas with high unem-
ployment, poverty, and percent of minority residents to address
environmental service needs.

The city of Cincinnati received Land Revitalization Technical As-
sistance for a market study and reuse assessment of the Lunken-
heimer building complex. The Lunkenheimer building is a 5-story
reinforced concrete structure built between 1910 and 1920
that has been out of service since the early 2000s. The technical
assistance aimed to support revitalization and reuse goals for the
property including building on public investment and identifying
potential future uses that fit within the neighborhood vision.

Lunkenheimer building

Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation, an assessment
grantee, utilized funding to create a model for landfill re-use plan-
ning and predevelopment in the state of Ohio. The guide includes
information for communities and stakeholders on the regulatory
obligations of landfills and provides creative insight on potential
redevelopment.

Section 128(a) ofthe Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncompeti-
tive funding to states and tribes to establish and enhance re-
sponse programs overseeing assessment and cleanup activities at
brownfield sites across the country. The Ohio Environmental Pro-
tection Agency uses its 128(a) funds to support capacity building
for its Brownfields and Voluntary Cleanup Program and enrolled
632 properties in its response program in the last federal year.

CONTACT US

John Jurevis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
Jurevis.John@epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5


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U.S. EPA Brownfields Program
in Wisconsin

Every year, the federal Brownfields program awards several types
of grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up properties across
the country and to provide job training in environmental fields
for low-income and minority unemployed residents. The program
also provides direct technical assistance at no cost to communities
to increase their understanding and involvement in brownfields
cleanup and revitalization. The reuse of brownfield sites not only
betters the health of the environment and community, but brown-
field revitalization helps stimulate communities economically
In the past 5 years, entities across the State of Wisconsin have
received 30 competitive grants totaling $14 million to assess, clean
up, and revitalize brownfield properties.

Brownfield sites in Wisconsin

Accomplishments over the past 5 years include:

•	185 site assessments completed, with 43 site assessments
completed in Justice40 communities (census tracts identified
as disadvantaged, as defined by the White House Council on
Environmental Quality)

•	24 sites cleaned up

•	$605 million leveraged

•	3,372 jobs created

•	48 properties made ready for anticipated use

Section 128(a) ofthe Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncom-
petitive funding to states and tribes to establish and enhance
response programs overseeing assessment and cleanup activities
at brownfield sites across the country. The Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources uses its 128(a) funds to support capacity
building in its Brownfields Program and enrolled 224 properties
in its response program in the last federal fiscal year.

August 2023

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps, a job training grant-
ee, targets veterans, local tribal residents, and unemployed or
underemployed young adults who are ex-offenders, high school
dropouts, or suffer from a mental illness, a disability, or have a
history of substance abuse, for environmental training in Racine.
To date, Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps has trained
and placed 226 residents in environmental jobs.

The city of Chilton received technical assistance for market anal-
ysis and design planning for 3,000 linear feet of roadway through
the Main Street corridor. The technical assistance helped provide
guidance on feasible use options for properties along Main Street,
which presently contains a large concentration of brownfield
properties. The assistance provided recommendations on how to
use brownfield redevelopment to catalyze streetscaping to encour-
age foot-traffic.

Sheboygan County used EPA assessment grant funds for assess-
ment, investigation, and remedial planning for a former concrete
products site. The property previously included an office building,
showroom, as well as indoor and outdoor storage areas used for
staging and sale of concrete and masonry supplies. The property
was redeveloped into a 248-unit workforce housing project named
The Oscar and an adjacent Kwik Trip gasoline station.

Former concrete products site



CONTACT US



John Jurevis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
] u revis .John® epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5


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U.S. EPA Brownfields Program
in Tribal Nations

Every year, the federal Brownfields program awards several types of
grants primarily for assessing and cleaning up properties across the coun-
try and to provide job training in environmental fields for low-income
and minority unemployed residents. The program also provides direct
technical assistance at no cost to communities to increase their under-
standing and involvement in brownfields cleanup and revitalization. The
reuse of brownfield sites not only betters the health of the environment
and community but brownfield revitalization helps stimulate communi-
ties economically.

Removal of waste oil tank on the Leech Lake Reservation

August 2023

NOTABLE BROWNFIELD ACTIVITIES

Tribes can utilize multiple funding sources to build their brownfields
and response programs. Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), in
addition to their 128(a) funds received Equitable Resilience Technical
Assistance, multiple Small Technical Assistance Grants, and a Targeted
Brownfields Assessment (TBA). The TBA provided phase II environmen-
tal site assessments for seven abandoned homes to ensure any environ-
mental concerns are known and addressed prior to their redevelopment
into new single-family homes,

KBIC's Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance is being used to assess
coastal erosion and develop conceptual design options for five green
infrastructure projects. The project will aid in protecting the shoreline
from climate change and provide important cultural preservation on the
LAnse Reservation.

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe used 128(a) funds to assess four con-
taminated structures, Tribal funds to clean up the properties, and an EPA
Hazardous Waste Management Grant to construct a household waste
management facility on each property. The grant was also utilized to pro-
vide training to staff and conduct community outreach and education.

CONTACT US

Section 128(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Com-
pensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides noncompetitive funding
to states and Tribes to establish and enhance response programs
overseeing assessment and cleanup activities at brownfield sites across
the country. Currently, 21 of 35 federally recognized Tribes in Region 5
receive 128(a) funding to develop their Brownfields programs. Tribes
can use this funding to hire and train staff, engage with the community,
and cleanup, reuse, and redevelop property. In the last federal fiscal
year, Tribal nations in Region 5 enrolled 806 properties in a response
program through 128(a) funds.

Household waste management facility

Abandoned home site in Keweenaw Bay Indian Community assessed
through Targeted Brownfield Assistance

John Jurevis

Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator & Project Manager
US EPA Region 5
Jurevis.John@epa.gov
(312) 886-1446

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/r5


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