"Redeveloping industrial areas is an important investment in the future of Iowa. Rejuvenating these areas will improve quality of life and promote economic development in these communities," Grassley said.
In December 2001, Grassley helped push new brownfields legislation through the U.S. Senate. The bill authorizes $200 million per year through 2006 for grants to states, local governments, tribes, quasi-public redevelopment agencies and authorities. The grants are directed toward site assessments and clean up.
"It makes a lot of sense to clean up these brownfields sites. Rehabilitation improves the environment and sets the stage for renewed economic activity," Grassley said. "It's important for the federal government to support the local commitment to turn these areas around."
Some estimates show that there are five million acres of abandoned industrial areas in cities nationwide. That's roughly the same amount of land occupied by the country's 60 largest cities. There are as many as 425,000 Brownfields throughout the United States.
A list of the communities and a description of the project follows:
Clinton: $200,000 Assessment Grant for hazardous substances ? Clinton will use the funds to assess and prioritize the needs on the eastern section of the Liberty Square District, where property acquisition and roadway construction will occur as part of improvements to the U.S. Highway 30 and 67 Corridor.
Davenport: $200,000 Assessment Grant for hazardous substances ? Davenport will use the funds to conduct an assessment of properties contaminated by hazardous substances along its five-mile Mississippi River shoreline.
Des Moines: $200,000 Cleanup Grant and $1,000,000 Revolving Loan Fund Grant for hazardous substances ? Des Moines will use the $200,000 cleanup grant to clean up a fenced off site within the Guthrie Avenue Business Park. Des Moines will use the $1,000,000 revolving loan fund grant to capitalize a revolving loan fund to provide loans and subgrants to conduct cleanup activities essential to redevelopment of the Riverpoint West area.
Dubuque: $200,000 Cleanup Grant for petroleum ? Dubuque will use these funds to clean up a petroleum plume that has contaminated soil and groundwater across several acres of riverfront development property along the Mississippi.
Marion: $200,000 Assessment Grant for hazardous substances and $200,000 Assessment Grant for petroleum ? Marion will use the grants to conduct assessments of sites contaminated by hazardous substances and petroleum in the city's Central Corridor.
Waterloo: $200,000 Assessment Grant for hazardous substances and $100,000 Assessment grant for petroleum ? Waterloo will use the funds to perform assessment of a major abandoned manufacturing complex within the city's Consolidated Urban Revitalization Area.