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TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) recently congratulated eight Florida
communities for being awarded grants totaling $3 million
from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The
cities of Casselberry, Daytona Beach, Miami and South
Daytona Beach; the counties of Clay, Escambia and
Gadsden; as well as the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency
each received grants to assess, clean up and redevelop
brownfield sites within their communities.
“We are making a strong commitment to Florida’s
economy through the redevelopment of brownfield sites,”
said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “Together with the
state’s efforts, this additional funding is cleaning up
environmental contamination, building stronger
communities, bringing new business opportunities into
Florida’s cities and providing jobs for our residents.”
The eight Florida recipients were selected for
federal funding from more than 697 national applicants
based on community need and public involvement. Florida
received the largest number of grant awards in the
southeast. DEP assisted applicants with the grant
process and will provide continued support to redevelop
properties and return them to the community.
Grant recipients include:
- City of Casselberry – Two brownfields assessment
grants totaling $400,000 will be used community-wide to
inventory brownfields sites, conduct Phase I and Phase
II environmental site assessments, and develop cleanup
plans.
- Clay County – One petroleum brownfield
assessment grant totaling $200,000 will be used to
manage and update a database of sites and conduct Phase
I and Phase II environmental site assessments in the
Green Cove Springs Area.
- City of Daytona Beach – Two brownfields assessment grants, totaling $400,000 will be
used community wide to inventory brownfields sites,
conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site
assessments and develop cleanup plans.
- Escambia County
- Two brownfields assessment grants totaling $400,000
will fund Phase I and Phase II environmental site
assessments, as well as cleanup planning and community
outreach activities.
- Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency
– Three brownfields cleanup grants totaling $600,000
will be used to clean up three different sites
associated with the former H.D. King Power Plant.
- Gadsden County – Two brownfields assessment grants
totaling $400,000 will fund a community wide inventory
of brownfields sites, Phase I and Phase II environmental
site assessments, the development of cleanup plans,
community outreach activities and health monitoring.
- City of Miami – One petroleum brownfields cleanup grant
totaling $200,000 will be used to address contaminated
soil and groundwater associated with a 200 gallon spill
at the former Shamrock gas station.
- City of South
Daytona – Two brownfields assessment grants totaling
$400,000 will fund Phase I and Phase II environmental
site assessments along the US 1 corridor, community
outreach and cleanup planning.
Brownfields are properties where expansion,
redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the
presence or potential presence of environmental
pollution. State and federal brownfield redevelopment
programs help communities revitalize properties
environmentally, restore economic vitality and mitigate
potential health risks to areas where brownfields exist.
DEP’s Brownfield Redevelopment program, which began
in 1998, is one of the fastest growing programs in the
nation with a steady annual increase in development
projects. Today, DEP has 109 brownfield projects
underway, an additional 34 brownfield projects that have
completed cleanup and more than 244 designated
brownfield areas. Based on economic and regulatory
incentives, this program uses private funding to clean
up and redevelop areas in Florida, create new job
opportunities and enhance economic prospects.
For more information about Florida’s brownfields
program:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/brownfields/default.htm.
To learn more about the grants, visit:
http://epa.gov/brownfields/pilot_grants.htm.
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2012 State of Florida