DNR Awards Brownfield Grant To Juneau Count

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the department has awarded brownfield assessment services to Juneau County to assist with the investigation of environmental contamination at a former auto salvage yard in the town of Necedah.

The award is from the DNR’s Wisconsin Assessment Monies program, which provides contractor services for the environmental assessment of eligible brownfield sites.

A brownfield is a property where expansion, redevelopment or reuse is complicated by real or potential contamination. Brownfields vary in size, location, age and past use; they can be anything from a 500-acre former automobile assembly plant to a small, abandoned gas station.

The award will support the assessment of environmental conditions at the 3-acre former salvage yard. It became tax delinquent in 2017, and the owner passed away in 2020. On April 12, 2023, a wildfire broke out south of the site and burned across 100 acres in the town of Necedah, including the entire auto salvage property.

Brownfield assessment services will provide Juneau County with a better understanding of the environmental conditions, which will help with decision-making and cleanup planning. In addition, Juneau County applied for a Site Assessment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to assist with the removal of waste material from the site. Leveraging the two grants allows Juneau County to take the first steps to protect the community and environment and return the property back to productive use.

“Unfortunately, the recent wildfire may have worsened environmental conditions at the property,” said Jodie Thistle, DNR Brownfields, Outreach and Policy Section Manager. “The DNR looks forward to working with Juneau County to begin to understand the environmental conditions and steps that may be needed to clean up the property.”

Since 2009, the DNR’s Wisconsin Assessment Monies program has provided over $3.3 million in services and grant funds to over 70 communities across Wisconsin, partnering to help clean up and redevelop often run-down or underused properties that detract from a community’s potential. Because no local financial match is required, the Wisconsin Assessment Monies program grants present an attractive opportunity for communities to learn about environmental conditions. Applications for assistance may be submitted to the DNR at any time.

Interested in learning how cleaning up brownfields can help your community? The DNR’s on-demand Brownfields Fundamentals webinars cover planning, cleanup, liability and other topics as part of a well-rounded crash course in Wisconsin brownfield redevelopment.

The DNR has a wide range of financial and liability tools available to help local governments, businesses, lenders and others clean up and redevelop brownfields in Wisconsin, including Ready for Reuse financial awards, which may be used for environmental cleanup. DNR staff around the state are available to meet with community leaders, bankers, developers and private individuals to discuss brownfield projects through Green Team meetings.

More information about the DNR’s brownfield cleanup programs and services is available on the DNR’s Brownfields webpage.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.