Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $315 million in grants and other funding mechanisms under its Brownfields Program. A total of $215 million is for 267 assessment and cleanup grants under the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (MARC) Grant Program. The grant recipients come from all 10 EPA regions, 46 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. This funding is the largest investment in brownfields work, including cleanups, in history. The bulk of this funding is thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Following the announcement, Earthjustice Senior Policy Advisor Marty Hayden issued this statement:

“This announcement is an unprecedented investment in helping communities address pollution in toxic sites across the country. Thanks to the funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, areas across the country will be able to use these funds to assess the full scope of pollution, engage with local communities on solutions, and begin the process of ridding their neighborhoods of pollution. We thank the Biden administration for continuing to invest in frontline communities that have long borne the brunt of the worst impacts of pollution and look forward to working with them on tackling the most pressing environmental injustices facing our country.