Wayne County celebrates the receipt of two significant grants totaling $2 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to bolster and continue its brownfield revitalization initiatives. These grants represent a milestone in Wayne County’s ongoing commitment to transforming blighted properties into thriving community assets.
The first award, a $1 million EPA Brownfield Coalition Assessment Grant, will aid Wayne County in inventorying, prioritizing, and assessing brownfield sites for redevelopment, facilitating cleanup and reuse projects to restore properties to productive use. The second, a $1 million grant will capitalize a Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund that will provide loans for the cleanup and development of contaminated brownfield sites. The Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund program will be administered by the Wayne Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).
Brian Pincelli, Executive Director of the Wayne Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunities these grants present: “The receipt and use of these funds will allow us to continue our joint efforts in revitalizing abandoned and contaminated properties across the County, helping emphasize our commitment to long term development and environmental stewardship. With these resources, we’re equipped to accelerate those efforts and bring neglected properties back into productive use.”
These grants build upon Wayne County’s history of proactive brownfield revitalization initiatives. Starting in 2017, Wayne County completed a Derelict Property Study which led a 2018 brownfield inventory analysis and a $600,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant in 2020. The Grant facilitated 21 phase I studies, 9 phase II studies, 3 Regulated Building Materials surveys, and the removal of numerous underground storage tanks.
The Wayne County Regional Land Bank has played a pivotal role in the County Brownfield program, recently securing an EPA Multi-purpose grant for targeted investigation and remediation at numerous sites in the Town of Lyons. This multi-agency collaborative effort underscores Wayne County’s commitment to leveraging resources effectively for the betterment of its communities.
For more information on the program and related resources you can visit WEDCNY.com or contact the Economic Development and Planning office at 315-946-5919 or wedcny@co.wayne.ny.us.
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