Sherrill’s Office Holds Information Session for Local Municipalities Applying for Federal Brownfields Remediation Grants

From the office of Rep. Mikie Sherrill: 

LIVINGSTON, NJ – Last week, Representative Mikie Sherrill’s (NJ-11) office hosted a webinar with experts from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities Team (NJIT TAB) to discuss opportunities for local communities to apply for brownfields remediation grants. Since first taking office, Sherrill has fought to bring back federal funding to help New Jersey clean up toxic waste from former manufacturing sites – including securing over $1.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund brownfields remediation nationwide.

Watch the full webinar here.

“Cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields is a common sense solution that will allow our communities to repurpose existing properties for economic development, including housing and recreation, while protecting our environment. That’s why I fought so hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included funding to help towns and municipalities clean up contaminated sites without putting pressure on local budgets. Thank you to EPA Region 2, NJDEP, and NJIT TAB for taking the time to share their expertise about potential funding opportunities with community leaders from across New Jersey’s 11th District,” said Rep. Sherrill.

“EPA is pleased to partner with Representative Mikie Sherrill to inform New Jersey communities about the many amazing opportunities in the Brownfields Program,” said Lisa F. Garcia, EPA Regional Administrator. “We encourage communities to contact us and find out more about the opportunities, such as, applying for a grant or receiving technical assistance. Brownfields can truly reshape neighborhoods and, with an extra boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are awarding this transformative funding to more communities than ever.”

“My DEP colleagues and I thank Rep. Sherrill for championing this landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment in community redevelopment. The DEP’s Brownfield Development Area program and Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund provide critical assistance to communities repurposing blighted brownfield sites into community assets,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “The HDSRF program has been long at work proving environmental, economic, community and public health benefits across New Jersey. The program is possible because of strong partnerships with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New Jersey Economic Development Authority and thank them for their continued commitment and support for community revitalization.”   

"NJIT TAB was honored to take part in this important webinar with Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill's office, the EPA, and NJDEP. Cailyn Bruno, our Director of Environmental Services, provided insights on how communities can repurpose brownfield sites for sustainable development and environmental justice. NJIT TAB remains committed to offering free technical assistance to help communities across New Jersey navigate these complex projects and unlock opportunities for economic growth and revitalization," said Acting Executive Director, Sean Vroom.  

The EPA Brownfields Program provides funding and resources to redevelop and repurpose contaminated properties like former gas stations, dry cleaners, warehouses, dump sites, and vacant lots. Reinvesting in brownfields properties has tremendous potential for:

• Improving and protecting the environment
• Increasing local tax bases
• Facilitating job growth
• Making use of existing infrastructure
• Taking development pressures off green spaces 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $1.5 billion into the Brownfields Program, creating great opportunities for local communities to pursue projects for housing, recreation, community or commercial spaces, and more. 

Rep. Sherrill has been a leader in addressing negative environmental impacts such as brownfields, harmful algal blooms, and superfund sites. She is co-leading the Brownfields Redevelopment Tax Incentive Act, legislation that would lower the cost of developing vacant commercial areas that remain undeveloped because of environmental contamination. Additionally, she has secured millions of dollars in federal Community Project and Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) funding to remediate PFAS contamination, replace lead drinking water pipes, and improve flood mitigation corridors in New Jersey’s 11th District. She helped secure federal funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act for superfund site cleanup nationwide, including $30 million for the Unimatic Superfund Site in Fairfield, NJ.