SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – The City of South Portland has been selected to receive a $1,000,000 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The award will fund loans and subgrants to property owners to support environmental cleanup activities and program outreach.
A "brownfield" is any property where potential redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence (or potential presence) of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Brownfield properties can include former or active commercial and industrial sites, such as auto repair shops, factories, historic buildings, or storage warehouses, as well as residential properties. Addressing potential environmental issues, as well as financial and regulatory hurdles, can often pose barriers to the redevelopment or expanded use of these properties.
This grant augments an active $500,000 EPA grant that the City received in 2022 to fund the assessment of brownfield properties across the community in support of their redevelopment. Through this program, the City works directly with property owners in South Portland to conduct environmental site assessments and prepare cleanup and remediation plans. The City was previously awarded $300,000 for brownfields assessment in 2019.
“These tools can be very impactful to address environmental issues in the course of redevelopment of commercial and industrial sites, and to assist property owners in transforming their properties into desirable lots,” said South Portland Assistant City Manager Joshua Reny. “We’re very excited about continuing this work with EPA and seeing the positive impact the grants will make in our community over the next decade.”
If you’re a property owner and would like to apply for brownfields assessment or cleanup funding, or if you’d like to nominate a potential redevelopment site, visit: southportland.gov/brownfields
About the City of South Portland
The City of South Portland is a vibrant Southern Maine community of nearly 27,000 residents and over 1,500 businesses located on picturesque Casco Bay. www.southportland.gov