TDEC Offering Statewide Brownfields Grant Workshops in August and September
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will host a series of statewide Brownfields grant-writing workshops in August and September. The workshops are designed to help local governments and communities understand the grant application process for a variety of funding opportunities offered by EPA.
Brownfields sites are real property and can include the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of areas where a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant may be present due to previous industry or commercial use.
Free and open to the public, the workshops’ secondary goal is to encourage community stakeholders to work together in a timely manner to assess, safely clean up and reuse Brownfields sites in a sustainable manner. The workshop will also include a hands-on class exercise on how to write specific sections of a Brownfields grant, followed by a discussion on what constitutes a winning grant proposal.
“Based on previous workshop feedback, we are adding the hands-on activity in an effort to ensure attendees walk away with additional expertise in the grant-writing process,” said Paula Larson, environmental specialist for TDEC and workshop coordinator.
The department’s Division of Remediation will host four workshops in the coming months at the following locations (please note that local times apply):
Memphis: August 28 – 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Rhodes College
Paul Barrett Jr. Library, Room 051
2000 North Parkway
Memphis, Tenn. 38112
Jackson: August 29 – 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Southwest Tennessee Development District Office
102 East College Street
Jackson, Tenn. 38301
Knoxville: September 5 – 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
Markethouse Room
17 Market Square, #17
Knoxville, Tenn. 37902
Nashville: September 6 – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Nashville Public Main Library, Conference Room 2
615 Church Street
Nashville, Tenn. 37243
EPA's Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and Revolving Loan Fund program provides the financial and technical assistance for Brownfields revitalization, including grants for environmental assessments, cleanups and job training. Ranging from $200,000 to $1 million, these re-development grants will help assess and clean up properties throughout the country.
For more information about the upcoming application workshops or to register, contact Paula Larson by August 24, 2012 at Paula.Larson@tn.gov or (615) 532-0926. Please include your name, contact information and the workshop location you’d like to attend. General information about Brownfields programs can be found at www.tn.gov/environment/dor/toolbox. More information about EPA’s Brownfields grant opportunities can be found at www.epa.gov/brownfields.
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