Funding Agencies:
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Minnesota Department of
Employment and Economic
Development
Metropolitan Council
Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency
Drycleaner Environmental
Response and
Reimbursement Account
(Drycleaner Fund)
Minnesota Department
of Commerce Petrofund
Minnesota Department
of Agriculture
Chemical Response and
Reimbursement Account
Hennepin County
Ramsey County
Minnesota
Environmental
Initiative
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THE PROBLEM
Redevelopment of contaminated property presents environmental risks and economic uncertainties that can challenge municipalities and developers. To help municipalities and developers overcome these challenges, grants are available to facilitate the redevelopment of contaminated property. The local unit of government does not even need to own the property; they can apply for funds on behalf of developers. Grant programs can be useful tools for creating partnerships to reclaim property. Large projects often utilize several grant funding options.
Grant programs exist at several levels to help redevelop contaminated property while meeting such goals such as affordable housing, economic growth, jobs creation, environmental health, infrastructure improvements, and community revitalization.
THE PROGRAMS
Grants are available from federal, state and local organizations. For instance, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brownfields grants are available to fund environmental assessments, cleanups and revolving loans. State grants are available to fund environmental investigation and cleanup projects. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) offers contaminated cleanup grants, response action plan development grants and redevelopment grants. Other state funds have been created to facilitate the cleanup of drycleaning facilities, leaking petroleum storage tanks and agricultural chemicals.
Nonprofit organizations such as Minnesota Brownfields can also be a source of funding. Hennepin County and Ramsey County each fund environmental investigation and cleanup projects through their Environmental Response Funds.
GRANT DEADLINES
Deadlines vary. The EPA accepts initial applications once each year, generally in late fall; final applications are accepted by EPA invitation only. DEED, MetCouncil and Hennepin County accept applications twice each year, in May and November. MEI accepts applications year-round. Drycleaner fund, Petrofund and AG Department applications for reimbursement are accepted year-round.
LANDMARK’S EXPERIENCE
Landmark has successfully helped receive funding for the following environmental remediation projects, among others:
City of Little Falls – Hennepin Paper Site, Little Falls, MN: Landmark helped prepare two EPA Brownfield grants applications, an EPA revolving loan application, and two MN DEED grant applications. All grant applications were successful, and the $1,800,000 grant award was used towards the demolition and cleanup of a former pulp and paper mill located on the Mississippi River for redevelopment into a city park.
City of St. Paul – Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, St. Paul, MN: Landmark helped prepare two EPA Brownfield grants applications – both were successful – and helped obtain funding for an additional investigation from MEI. The $400,000+ was used toward the cleanup of a former railroad yard for redevelopment into the 27-acre Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary.
US Bank—West Side Flats Development, St. Paul, MN: Landmark assisted in the preparation of MetCouncil and DEED grant applications. These grants were awarded and substantially contributed to funding redevelopment of this former Superfund site.
For further information, check out the following links:
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