City of Tallahassee Awarded EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant

City of Tallahassee Awarded EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant

$500,000 to Support Southside Efforts

May 13, 2022

The City of Tallahassee has been awarded $500,000 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through its Brownfields Assessment Grant program. These funds will be used to conduct environmental assessments, cleanup planning and community involvement activities for properties located within and near Tallahassee's Southside.

"The City's Brownfields Redevelopment Program has consistently been recognized as one of the most successful in the state of Florida and southeastern United States, having received more than $3 million in grant funding since 2008," City of Tallahassee Director of Environmental Services Alissa Meyers said. "To build upon this success, the City Commission approved staff in October 2021 to apply for this most recent EPA grant."

Brownfields are properties where the presence or potential presence of environmental contamination hinders redevelopment or reuse. Assessing, cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties protects human health and the environment, reduces blight, promotes reuse of properties and takes development pressures off green spaces and working lands.

Implementation of this grant supports the City's overall strategic plan efforts by incentivizing property owners to assess, safely cleanup and sustainably reuse properties, which enhances economic opportunity, public safety and community aesthetics. The target area noted within the grant application includes mixed commercial and residential properties.

Previous brownfields grants have aided in the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of sites along the Gaines Street corridor, the South Monroe Street corridor and the former St. Marks Refinery site.

The latest grant will help the City build upon its successes and maintain focus on the Southside and neighboring areas. Grant funding will become available after October 1. Learn more about the City's brownfields program at Talgov.com.