Port of New Orleans in line for EPA funding to clean up brownfields

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the Port of New Orleans is being awarded a grant of up to $200,000 to use for the cleanup and reuse of brownfield sites, which are properties that may contain hazardous substances, contaminants or pollutants.

The Port of New Orleans is one of 19 recipients of Area-Wide Planning grants, worth a total of $3.8 million, as part of the Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (AWP) program, the EPA said in a release.

A revitalization plan will be created by the port in conjunction with stakeholders for the Industrial Canal Corridor, which consists of residential, industrial and mixed-use properties. The plan will protect the community from flooding and exposure to contaminants, grow the economy and make way for green space and sports activities, the EPA said.

“The Area-Wide Planning grant program is an innovation initiated by the Obama administration to empower communities to transform economically and environmentally distressed areas, including communities impacted by manufacturing plant closures, into vibrant future destinations for business, jobs, housing and recreation,” Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management, said in the release.

“These grants provide the opportunity for communities to determine for themselves revitalization plans that best meet their vision and needs based on a rigorous analysis of market and infrastructure in a manner that benefits and does not displace long-term residents,” Stanislaus said.