FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The EPA recently announced over $270 million in Brownfields grants to help revitalize communities across the country, and the City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division was awarded $500,000 for brownfields assessment. Funding will be used to conduct environmental assessments and cleanup planning on former commercial and industrial sites to prepare them for redevelopment.
“We are honored to be awarded this $500,000 grant to help us continue our work redeveloping blighted properties, which creates new economic opportunities and supports our neighborhoods,” said Community Development Director Jonathan Leist.
The following was released this week:
WASHINGTON – TU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $248 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup grants to 190 communities to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the nation. EPA also provided $22.5 million in supplemental funding to 31 high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantees for over $270 million in brownfields funding to revitalize American communities. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to clean up and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration’s commitment to ensure that clean air, land, and water goes hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.
“EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. “Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback.”
Clean air, land, and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding include:
$20 million for 20 selected recipients for Multipurpose Grants to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, community outreach, and cleanup activities at a brownfield site owned by the recipient.
$123.8 million for 130 selected recipients for Assessment Grants to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
$104.4 million for 43 selected recipients for Cleanup Grants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.
$22.5 million for 31 high-performing RLF grantees to continue operating revolving loan funds that finance cleanup activities and promote redevelopment at brownfields sites.
Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.
After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.
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