Ryan Announces Brownfields Redevelopment Grant for City of the Harvey

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced the City of Harvey was awarded a $32,884 Brownfields Redevelopment Grant by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The grant will be used by the city to pay for investigation of potential environmental contamination at a property in their downtown area. The property was formerly used as a gasoline station and is a key component in the city's downtown redevelopment plan. The city intends to prepare the land for retail development.

Governor Ryan noted that 30 communities have now been awarded grants under the program, which began July 1, 1998. Illinois communities have received nearly $2.5 million to date, for environmental assessments of brownfields sites. Communities are eligible for grants up to $120,000; however, the average grant is just around $90,000.

"This assistance can be the catalyst to bring back to productive use sites that have been community eyesores and potential hazards to citizens and environment," Governor Ryan said. "The grant recipients have been Illinois municipalities ranging from under 2,000 to nearly 3 million in population." In addition, communities can apply to the Illinois Brownfields Redevelopment Loan Program, which is funded by Illinois FIRST. Loans can be used for both site assessment and remedial activities. The brownfields grant and loan programs are designed to work together to help communities complete a redevelopment project.

Harvey is one of the pilot communities targeted under Governor Ryan's Illinois Workforce Advantage program. Illinois Workforce Advantage coordinates state programs to add value to a community's high priority projects in economic development and human services.