The Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 has awarded half a million dollars to the City of Springfield to use in cleaning up brownfields. Brownfields are pieces of property that are contaminated by activity that once took place there.
The Brownfields Assessment Grant specifically will be used to identify and evaluate contaminated sites so that those locations can eventually be redeveloped.
Springfield’s Director of Workforce and Economic Vitality said in a statement that the projects are more than cleanups – they’re opportunities to "reinvigorate key areas of our city and strengthen the local economy."
The evaluation and cleanup plans will focus on the Chase Street and College Street corridors in Springfield. Priority sites include a 24,000-square-foot foundry complex, a 5.62-acre rail yard and a nearly one-acre site previously used for auto sales, repair and salvage.
The grant awarded to Springfield is part of FY 2025 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), Cleanup Grants and RLF Supplemental Funding announced in May 2025. This announcement included:
Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants:
- $121.8 million for 148 selectees for Assessment Grants, which will provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
- $88.2 million for 51 selectees for Cleanup Grants, which will provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the recipient.
- $15 million for 15 selectees for RLF Grants, which will provide funding for recipients to offer loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.
Brownfields Supplemental Revolving Loan Fund Grants
- $42 million for 34 high-performing recipients to help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties. Supplemental funding for RLF Grants is available to recipients that have depleted their funds and have viable cleanup projects ready for work.
