Northeast Oklahoma City Eyes $500,000 to Revitalize contaminated โคLand
Oklahoma City, OK – October 8, 2024 – A $500,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to unlock redevelopment opportunities in northeast Oklahoma City, targeting brownfield sites burdened by environmental โcontamination. The funding, announced today, will be used to assess adn clean up properties hampered by past industrial or commercial โuses, โฃpaving the way for new investment and community improvements.
The grant focuses on a roughly 80-acre area encompassing several parcels along the โNorth Eastern Avenue โcorridor. These sites, historically impactedโ by potential pollutants, have long been obstacles to โฃeconomic growth in a neighborhood seeking revitalization. The EPA funding will enable thoroughโ environmental assessments toโ determine the โขextent of contamination, followed by cleanup plansโข designed โขto remove hazards and make the land safe for future โฃuse. Thisโค initiative directly addresses concerns about publicโ health andโข environmental justice in a historically underserved area, and isโฃ expected to spur job creation and increased property values.
The City of Oklahoma City is the recipient of the grant, which falls under the EPA’s โฃBrownfields โProgram. โคThis program provides financial assistance to communities to assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites, transforming them into productive assets.โค Brownfields are defined as properties whose expansion,redevelopment,or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance,pollutant,or contaminant.
Theโข targeted area in northeast Oklahomaโ City has suffered from disinvestment and environmental concerns for decades.Triumphant remediation of these โsites โฃcould attract newโ businesses, housing developments, and green spaces, enhancing the quality โof life for โresidents. The City plans to โwork closely with community stakeholders throughout the assessment and cleanupโฃ process, ensuring transparency and addressing โฃlocal priorities.
