Michigan wins multi-million dollar federal investment to revitalize contaminated sites and drive economic growth

Today, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced a significant federal investment of $6.7 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess, clean up, and revitalize contaminated sites across the state. This funding will empower Michigan communities to transform blighted properties into valuable assets, fostering economic growth and enhancing quality of life.

"These grants are more than just funding; they are an investment in the future of Michigan communities," said EGLE Director Phil Roos. "By addressing environmental contamination, we are creating healthier places to live, work, and raise families, while laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth."

The grants will provide vital resources to local organizations and governments, enabling them to remediate contaminated land and buildings.  By providing funding for assessment and cleanup, these grants pave the way for redevelopment, creating opportunities for businesses, housing, and community spaces.

Michigan organizations receiving grants include:

• Cass County: $300,000 assessment grant for environmental site assessments, cleanup planning, and community engagement in Dowagiac and Cassopolis.
• Crawford County: $300,000 assessment grant for environmental site assessments, updating a brownfield site inventory, cleanup planning, and community engagement along the I-75 Business Corridor and Grayling Industrial Park.
• Downriver Community Conference and partners: $1.2 million assessment coalition grant for environmental site assessments, cleanup planning, and community engagement along the Jefferson Avenue Corridor (River Rouge to Trenton) and the Ypsilanti Water Street Redevelopment Area, with partners including the Cities of Monroe and Tecumseh, and Washtenaw County.
• Downriver Community Conference: $2 million to supplement its existing Brownfield revolving loan fund, supporting cleanup projects in Ecorse, Ypsilanti, and Monroe, including the Mill Street and Water Street Redevelopment areas and the former Immaculate Heart of Mary property.
• Marquette County: $400,000 assessment grant for environmental site assessments, cleanup planning, and community engagement in Ishpeming and the Town of Sawyer.
• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy: $2 million community-wide assessment grant for environmental site assessments and hazardous building surveys in Saginaw, Ypsilanti, Jackson, and Sault Sainte Marie, with priority sites including the vacant County Fairgrounds and the former Delphi Energy/Chassis facility.
• Ottawa County: $500,000 assessment grant for environmental site assessments, cleanup planning, and community engagement in Grand Haven and Holland.

Since 2019, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration has prioritized brownfield redevelopment, with EGLE providing more than $160 million in brownfield grants, loans and incentives to 402 sites across 50 communities — supporting over 19,229 jobs and leveraging $45 of private investment for every $1 of state funds invested. This latest investment from EPA will build upon that legacy, empowering Michigan to continue its commitment to environmental stewardship and economic prosperity.