Ryan Announces Brownfields Redevelopment Grant for City of Rockford

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that the City of Rockford was awarded a $120,000 Brownfields Redevelopment Grant by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for investigation of environmental contamination at potential redevelopment sites.

"This assistance can be the catalyst to once again make these sites productive that have long been community eyesores and potential hazards to citizens and the environment," said Governor Ryan. "Illinois communities have received nearly $2.3 million to date, for environmental assessments of brownfields sites."

The City of Rockford has identified 40 properties within five commercial corridors for consideration of future development. The grant will allow the city to fully investigate the properties in the top three priority corridors. The grant dollars will be used for Phase I assessment activities and limited Phase II oversight activities for the areas deemed most economically viable.

Twenty-six communities have now been awarded grants under the program since July 1, 1998, and range in population from under 2000 to nearly 3 million. Communities are eligible for grants up to $120,000; however, the average grant is just around $90,000.

Rockford also received a U.S. Illinois EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Grant, which will be used to help cover the costs of site investigation. In addition, communities such as Rockford can apply to the Illinois Brownfields Redevelopment Loan Program, which is funded by Illinois FIRST. Loans can be used for both site assessment and remedial activities. The brownfields grant and loan programs are designed to work together to help communities complete a redevelopment project.