EPA grant to clean up site slated for sustainable housing development in Lakewood, Colo. (CO)
Brownfields funds to help remove petroleum
contaminated soil at property along future West Corridor light rail
line
(Denver, Colorado – June 6, 2011) The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency today awarded the Lakewood Housing
Authority (LHA) a $189,000 grant for cleanup activities at the
future site of the Lamar Station Apartments in Lakewood, Colo. The
funds will be used at the five-acre site to remove roughly 4,200
cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil left behind from prior
industrial and commercial activities. Today’s award is among
214 Brownfields grants totaling $76 million that EPA is providing
in 40 states and three tribes across the country.
“The thorough cleanup of contaminated soil
is a critical step towards revitalization of this property,”
said EPA’s Brownfields coordinator in Denver, Dan Heffernan.
“This grant will set the stage for a redevelopment project
that will create sustainable housing and support temporary and
permanent jobs for the area.”
The site is located in the Two Creeks
neighborhood at 6150 West 13th Ave, an area that
is a focal point for urban renewal due to its proximity to the West
Corridor light rail line scheduled to open in 2013. Once cleanup is
complete, LHA plans to redevelop the site into an affordable
housing complex featuring 176 energy-efficient apartment units.
Site redevelopment plans also include extensive outdoor open spaces
and direct light rail access.
The site was occupied by a variety of
industrial, auto, and commercial uses until it became vacant in
2004, at which time LHA acquired the property. Since that time LHA
has made significant investments to remove asbestos, demolish
buildings, and sample soil to determine the extent of environmental
contamination. This grant will help LHA complete the cleanup of the
site.
EPA’s brownfields grants are used to
assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties
like deserted gas stations or closed smelters. There are an
estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites in
America. These investments help leverage redevelopment, promote
economic growth and lead to job creation.
Since its inception, EPA’s brownfields
investments have leveraged more than $16.3 billion in cleanup and
redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources
and have resulted in approximately 70,000 jobs. Brownfields
grants also target under-served and economically disadvantaged
neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new
jobs are most needed.
More information on the FY2011 grant recipients
by state: https://www.epa.gov/brownfieldspilot_grants.htm
More information on EPA’s brownfields program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
More information on brownfields success stories: https://www.epa.gov/brownfieldssuccess/index.htm