| Washington, D.C.- Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that Oakland County has been awarded a $1 million loan to finance cleanup activities at brownfield sites. As part of the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Oakland County a loan to revitalize and rejuvenate the former industrial areas in southeastern Michigan.
“This loan will help fund the cleanup activities that are necessary in order to revitalize and redevelop these abandoned and potentially contaminated properties,” said Kildee. “We must provide resources to maintain and preserve the health of the environment so that these areas can be safely used by future occupants.”
Oakland County will use these funds to facilitate the clean up and redevelopment of local brownfields in order to protect natural resources, create jobs in distressed communities, and assist in low-to moderate income housing development. Under the current Brownfields Assessment Pilot program, the county is conducting an inventory of brownfield sites. All of these areas will be evaluated based on development potential, community impact, effect on water quality and other selected criteria.
The EPA’s Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to enable states to work together with other agencies to prevent, assess and safely clean up brownfield sites for economic redevelopment. The program specifically focuses on distressed communities that are in need of economic and environmental rehabilitation. |
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