Two S.C. sites receive federal funding for environmental cleanup projects
June 7, 2019
Two South Carolina brownfields will receive funding for environmental remediation projects, announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s.
The cities of Camden and Easley are each recipients of $300,000 Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grants that are issued by the federal government each year. These grants help local governments and stakeholders safely redevelop unused properties, that are contaminated or polluted, into community assets that attract economic growth and opportunity. Camden and Easley are two of 149 locations the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected to receive the funding this year.
“Cleaning up and reinvesting in Brownfields properties increases local tax bases and nearby property values, facilitates job growth, takes development pressure off undeveloped, green properties, and both improves and protects the environment,” said Robert Hodges, DHEC Manager of Brownfields and Dry Cleaning Programs. “These communities have strong potential for attractive redevelopment and business opportunities.”
The City of Camden’s $300,000 grant will be used for environmental site assessments, the development of cleanup plans and community involvement activities. The site includes part of the city’s downtown district.
The City of Easley also will use its $300,000 grant for environmental site assessments and the development of cleanup plans for a site in the Downtown Easley area. The funding is allocated for planning and design sessions and community outreach activities, as well.
The EPA estimates more than 450,000 brownfield sites exist in the country today, and through the federal Brownfields Program, more than 30,000 of those properties have been assessed and 86,000 acres of idle land have been redeveloped for productive use. Learn more at www.epa.gov/brownfields.
DHEC administers multiple environmental cleanup programs, including the statewide Brownfield Voluntary Cleanup Program, which assists developers in revitalizing South Carolina brownfields. Learn more at www.scdhec.gov.
