EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia

EPA Announces $13.5 Million in Brownfields Grants to Revitalize Communities in Georgia  

Contact:  EPA Region 4 Press Office ([email protected])  

June 24, 2026  

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $13 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Georgia. EPA also provided $500,000 in supplemental funding to one high-performing Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantee in Georgia. 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 go 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."   

 "These brownfield grants represent opportunities to reimagine contaminated properties as assets that meet the needs of communities," said Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "When you take a blighted property, clean it up, and bring the community together to figure out how the property should be redeveloped, you can generate a lot of excitement." 

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 in Georgia include:  

• A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to the Augusta Economic Development Authority to conduct 31 Phase I and 22 Phase II environmental site assessments and support community engagement activities.

• A $4 million Cleanup Grant to City of Chickamauga to clean up the former Crystal Springs Print Works Site located at Long Street and West 10th Avenue.

• A $500,000 RFL Supplemental Grant to Decide DeKalb Development Authority, which has a high-performing RLF program with depleted funds.

• A $4 million Cleanup Grant to Downtown Development Authority of Social Circle to clean up the Social Circle Cotton Mill. A $499,950 Cleanup Grant to Henderson School Alumni Association Trust to clean up the Henderson School in Jackson.

• A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to Northwest Georgia Regional Commission to conduct 26 Phase I and 16 Phase II environmental site assessments.

• A $1.5 million Coalition Assessment Grant to River Valley Regional Commission develop nine cleanup plans, two reuse assessments, and three area-wide plans, and to support community engagement activities.

• A $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant to Rome Floyd County Development Authority to expand the current inventory of brownfield sites and conduct ten Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments.

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.   

View the list of selected applicants here.   

Background 

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.