Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee,announced that the Biden Administration has awarded Prairie Hills Conservation and Development, Inc. $1.5 million in grants and loans that will go toward cleaning up contaminated brownfield sites in Galesburg, Canton and Monmouth.
“Communities across Northwest and Central Illinois are burdened by abandoned commercial properties – many so polluted that property development isn’t possible,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. “Today, I’m pleased to announce that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $1.5 million in grants and loans to help clean up these properties and pave the way for growing economic opportunity. I’m thrilled that Galesburg, Canton and Monmouth will benefit from this federal investment and I look forward to seeing how this important funding will revitalize properties and improve communities.”
Today’s grants are supported by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides a total of $1.5 billion to advance environmental justice, spur economic revitalization and create jobs by cleaning up contaminated, polluted or hazardous brownfield properties.
Brownfield projects can range from cleaning up buildings with asbestos or lead contamination, to assessing and cleaning up abandoned properties that once managed dangerous chemicals. Once cleaned up, former brownfield properties can be redeveloped into productive uses such as grocery stores, affordable housing, health centers, museums, parks and solar farms.
