4 Northeast Wisconsin communities receive Brownfield Grants
(WLUK) -- Cleanup projects in four Northeast Wisconsin communities are moving forward, thanks to some grants.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued $336,000 worth of Brownfield Grants statewide.
The grants come from the DNR's Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program. The grants help officials assess possible contamination at sites where cleanup and redevelopment may take place or is being planned.
"The DNR is proud to partner with these communities as local leaders seek to improve those buildings and properties that have seen better days," said DNR Remediation and Redevelopment Program Director Christine Haag. "These small awards can provide the nudge needed to move forward a pending deal or planned improvements; we are honored to be a part of a local success."
In Northeast Wisconsin, more than $90,000 worth of grants were issued to:
- Appleton
A small auto repair and used car sales shop on South Oneida Street was found to have contamination while being inspected for nearby road work. The site was previously a gas station in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Marinette
This site on the 1500 block of Main Street formerly housed several businesses, including a manufactured gas plant, a cylinder sleeve maker, a dye and leather manufacturer and a trolley car switching station. The city and a local community action network are looking to redevelop the property into affordable housing.
- Allouez
The village took ownership of a one-acre site on South Webster Street that served as a combination grocery store and gas station in 1958. St. Vincent Hospital acquired the property in 1986 and removed underground fuel storage tanks. Village leaders are now interested in identifying contamination issues with an eye toward future redevelopment.
- Winneconne
The nearly 200-year-old site on East Main Street was initially developed in the 1800s and has been home to a variety of uses over time, including a bottling and distributing company, a grocery store and a custom precision machining company. The most recent business was closed five years ago, and the site is currently unoccupied.
Applications can be submitted for WAM awards at any time online.
