EPA awards $300,000 to advance the cleanup and redevelopment of properties in Hinsdale County, Colorado
EPA Brownfields grant to catalyze economic revitalization in Lake City and sites across County
Lake City, Colo. -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that Hinsdale County, Colorado, will receive a $300,000 Brownfields assessment grant to advance the cleanup and revitalization of properties at priority sites, including the Ute Ulay Mine, the Gladiator and Golden Fleece Mines, the Rose Lime Kiln, the 30-mile Historic Resort and Sportsman’s Garage.
Hinsdale County is among 151 communities nationwide selected to receive 154 grant awards totaling $66.5 million in EPA Brownfields funding through the agency’s Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant programs. This funding will support underserved and economically disadvantaged communities across the country in assessing and cleaning up contaminated and abandoned industrial and commercial properties. Approximately 50 percent of selected recipients will be receiving EPA Brownfields Grant funding for the first time and more than 85 percent are located in or serving small communities.
“We are pleased to provide Hinsdale County with funding to address contamination in communities and provide a foundation for additional economic opportunity,” said Mark A. Smith, EPA Region 8 director of Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division. “The revitalization of priority properties, including mining sites, will address public health risks and create new assets that will contribute to sustainable year-round economic activity.
Hinsdale County will use the EPA Brownfields funds to develop an inventory of sites and complete up to 14 environmental site assessments at properties in the Town of Lake City and locations throughout the County. Grant funds will also be used to create cleanup and reuse plans and conduct community outreach activities. Priority sites include the Ute Ulay Mine, the Gladiator and Golden Fleece Mines, the Rose Lime Kiln, the 30-mile Historic Resort, and Sportsman’s Garage. Contaminants of concern at these sites include lead, chromium, asbestos, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.
“Hinsdale County has partnered closely with our state and federal partners with the Targeted Brownfields Assessments through a variety of projects, including several at the Ute Ulay Town & Mill Site, the Morningside Lode peninsula, and the Rose Lime Kiln and Henson Creek Chimney,” said Hinsdale County Administrator Sandy Hines. “We are excited to receive this more in-depth funding to allow us to conduct more assessments in our hard-rock mining county.”
The County intends to use the funding to advance historic preservation of mining structures and insulate the targeted sites from avalanches, flooding and other natural events, which have significantly impacted the community in recent years. The countywide redevelopment vision includes transforming the Ute Mine into a “Maker’s Camp” where artisans can develop goods for sale. Revitalization of target properties will help advance the summer tourism economy, as well as year-round economic activity.
The list of the fiscal year 2021 applicants selected for funding is available here: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicants-selected-fy-2021-brownfields-multipurpose-assessment-and-cleanup-grants
EPA anticipates that it will award the grants once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by the selected recipients.
Background
Since its inception in 1995, EPA's Brownfields Program has provided nearly $1.76 billion in grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return them to productive reuse. This has led to significant benefits for communities across the country. For example,
- To date, communities participating in the Brownfields Program have been able to attract more than $34.4 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding after receiving Brownfields funds. This has led to over 175,500 jobs in cleanup, construction, and redevelopment.
- Based on grant recipient reporting, recipients leveraged on average $20.13 for each EPA Brownfields dollar and 10.3 jobs per $100,000 of EPA Brownfield Grant funds expended on assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan fund cooperative agreements.
- In addition, an academic peer-reviewed study has found that residential properties near brownfield sites increased in value by 5% to 15.2% as a result of cleanup activities.
- Finally, analyzing data near 48 brownfields, EPA found an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue for local governments in a single year after cleanup—2 to 7 times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to the cleanup of those brownfield sites.
For more on the Brownfields Grants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-epa-brownfield-grant-funding
For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
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