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EPA brownfield grant recipients to transform Illinois communities

EPA brownfields grant recipients on the U.S. map

Source: U.S. EPA

Since its inception in 1995, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Program has provided nearly $2.37 billion in grants to remediate contaminated sites and sustainably reuse them. The EPA Brownfields Program funds brownfield assessment, cleanup, revolving loans, environmental job training, technical assistance, training and research. This funding has helped clean up and redevelop brownfield sites and created nearly 260,000 jobs, promoting economic revitalization.

Here are some of the key brownfield grants provided by the EPA:

  • Assessment.
  • Revolving Loan Fund (RLF).
  • Cleanup.
  • Multipurpose (MP).
  • Job training.
  • State and tribal response program.
In May 2023, the EPA announced its largest investment in brownfield communities. The agency allocated more than $315 million under the Investing in America agenda to expedite brownfield assessment and cleanup. In 2023, EPA brownfield grant recipients totaled 262 communities across the U.S., receiving 267 grants valued at more than $215 million. Brownfield funding was disbursed through Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs.

EPA brownfield grant recipients in Illinois: Fehr Graham Plays Key Role in Securing Funding

In Illinois, the EPA announced brownfield grants worth more than $7.3 million. Nine Illinois communities were selected to receive grants totaling $7,307,771. These investments aimed to support the transformation of dangerous and polluted sites in overburdened communities into environmentally sustainable assets.
The table below highlights nine EPA brownfield grant recipients for 2023 in Illinois. Notably, Fehr Graham played a significant role in securing six of the nine EPA brownfield grants. Our grant funding team submitted six Cleanup Grant applications and won all six for clients.

 

EPA brownfield grant recipients 2023 in Illinois

Community

Funding

Fehr Graham helped secure the grant

City of Danville

The EPA awarded Danville a $983,606 to clean up a former dry-cleaning site contaminated with tetrachloroethylene and petroleum.   

✅

City of Dixon

The City of Dixon received a brownfield grant worth $767,900 to clean up a former junkyard/scrap metal recycling facility contaminated with petroleum, organic compounds, heavy metals, and inorganic contaminants.  

✅

City of Freeport

The EPA awarded $1,757,730 to clean up a brownfield site contaminated with volatile organic compounds, metals and inorganic contaminants.    

✅

Village of Richton Park

The Village received a $400,000 community-wide grant to conduct 18 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments and prepare three cleanup plans for Richton Park’s town center. 

City of Rock Falls

Rock Falls got a $800,000 brownfields multipurpose grant to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments and clean up a site historically occupied by manufacturing facilities. 

City of Rockford

The EPA awarded Region I Planning Council $1 million to conduct 40 Phase I and 16 Phase II environmental site assessments, and develop eight cleanup plans and five reuse plans for several brownfield sites across Rockford. 

City of South Beloit

The EPA awarded $311,400 to South Beloit  to clean up a site with a long history of manufacturing and industrial uses. The site was contaminated with petroleum. 

✅

City of Springfield

Moving Pillsbury Forward got a $787,135 grant to clean up the former Pillsbury Mills site used for grain milling, manufacturing and warehousing. The site was contaminated with heavy metals and inorganic compounds.   

✅

City of Sterling

Sterling got a $500,000 grant to clean up a 3.5-acre site previously used for hardware manufacturing. The site was contaminated with metals and inorganic contaminants.  

✅

The EPA has selected these communities to address and support the reuse of brownfield sites. An additional $45 million in funding has been announced for 22 Revolving Loan Fund grant programs to expedite the ongoing site work and cleanup.

How can Fehr Graham help community leaders secure brownfield grants?

At Fehr Graham, we have a long history of helping clients secure funding for brownfield redevelopment. Our experience helps identify sources and reinforce funding stacks for brownfield cleanup and remediation projects in your community. Our team works closely with regulatory agencies to customize competitive applications to secure the maximum funding.

To learn how Fehr Graham can help your community become an EPA brownfield grant recipient, contact us or call 815.235.7643.


Portrait of Bridgette Stocks Fehr Graham Senior Community Development Specialist Bridgette Stocks serves as the principal contact for all funding-related programs, navigating complicated rules and regulations to secure maximum dollars. She is a vital partner when it comes to strengthening communities to provide resilient and critical infrastructure. Her success speaks for itself – she has secured more than $200 million for Fehr Graham clients. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.