Baldwin Delivers $8.6 Million to Clean Up Contaminated Properties Across Wisconsin, Spur Economic Revitalization

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced that five Wisconsin communities are receiving over $8.6 million from the Baldwin-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to assess and clean up contaminated properties and turn them into community assets that attract good-paying jobs and grow local economies.

“These contaminated sites have sat vacant for years, deterring economic investments and leaving entire neighborhoods behind. I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring home long overdue investments to revitalize these abandoned areas into community assets where people can work, live, and play,” said Senator Baldwin. “Today’s announcement puts Wisconsin on the path to cleaning up these hazardous sites, keeping Wisconsinites healthy, bringing new life to these spaces, and growing our economy.”

The funding comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Programs, to help transform what were once polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets while spurring economic revitalization in underserved communities.

Wisconsin recipients include:

Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee, WI: $3,500,000 to extend the capacity of the City of Milwaukee Brownfield RLF to provide funding for more cleanups in underserved areas in the City of Milwaukee. The RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to 17 cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Potential projects highlighted for use of this funding include the 1st & National and Compass Lofts projects in Milwaukee.

Community Development Authority of the City of Manitowoc, WI: $1,961,500 to clean up the Phase I Redevelopment Area located at 1512 Washington Street. By 1893, the 2.3-acre cleanup site was occupied by the Henry Vits tannery and six residential structures. In 1898, Henry Vits converted his tannery to the manufacturing of aluminum products; aluminum manufacturing continued at the site until 1986. The now vacant cleanup site is contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and PCBs. Grant funds also will be used to develop a site-specific Community Involvement Plan and to conduct community engagement activities.

Price County United Limited, WI: $1,677,894 to clean up the Former Lionite Mill Property located at 115 Depot Road in the City of Phillips. Use of the 26.2-acre cleanup site as a wood products production facility dates back to 1883, with operations continuing until 2015. The site is now vacant and fenced off. The site is contaminated with hazardous substances including heavy metals and inorganic contaminants. Grant funds will also be used to conduct community engagement activities.

West Allis, WI: $1,000,000 to extend the capacity of the City of West Allis Brownfield RLF to provide funding for more cleanups in underserved areas in the City of West Allis. The RLF program has successfully made loans or subgrants leading to five cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Potential projects highlighted for use of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding include the Longfellow School redevelopment and SONA Lot 4 project in West Allis.

City of Brillion, WI: $500,000 to clean up Redevelopment Area 4 of the Brillion Iron Works Redevelopment located at Park Avenue and North Parkway Drive. The 6.3-acre cleanup site was first developed with a 1.5-story machine shop and forge and expanded through the 20th Century to include a grey iron foundry, a ductile iron foundry, a rail yard, a cannery, a milk condensary, a truck scale, and an electrical substation. At its peak in the late 20th Century, Brillion Iron Works employed over 1,000 people and produced up to 1,000 tons of iron per day. The foundry closed in 2016. The site is contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and PCBs. Grant funds also will be used to develop a Community Involvement Plan and conduct community engagement activities.

An online version of this release is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.