McKenzie County Moves Forward on $500K EPA Brownfield Grant
Travis Bateman
Farmer Staff Writer
McKenzie County officials are moving forward with a federally funded effort to identify and redevelop abandoned, vacant, or potentially contaminated properties across the county through a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The grant, announced by the EPA in 2023, is being administered through McKenzie County’s Planning and Zoning Department and is aimed at evaluating properties that may contain environmental contamination or other redevelopment barriers left behind by aging infrastructure, former commercial operations, or changing community needs.
County officials say the program could ultimately help transform dormant properties into usable sites for housing, recreation, childcare, business development, and other community-focused projects.
According to the EPA, the funding allows the county to conduct environmental assessments, cleanup planning, and redevelopment studies on properties classified as “brownfields” - sites where redevelopment may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances or pollutants.
Potential properties identified in federal grant documents include the former McKenzie County Hospital site, abandoned or vacant gas stations, the former county fairgrounds, the Arnegard school, and additional commercial structures throughout the property.
The EPA stated the grant’s purpose is to “inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct cleanup planning and community involvement related to brownfield sites” throughout McKenzie County.
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