Pine Bluff to Receive $500K in Federal Grants for Downtown Cleanup

A file photo of Pine Bluff's Downtown District in 2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday that the City of Pine Bluff will receive $500,000 in Brownfields grant funding to assess, cleanup and revitalize local properties.

Pine Bluff will receive the $500,000 through a Brownfields Assessment Grant to inventory and prioritize brownfield sites, prepare four cleanup plans and one Brownfields Revitalization Plan, and conduct community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is the Pine Bluff Downtown Development District. Priority sites include the 0.26-acre Saenger Theatre, the 0.42-acre Hotel Pines and the 4-acre former Pine Bluff Bus Terminal.

The Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments have leveraged more than $42 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. The funding has also been able to leverage more than 220,500 jobs.

A press release from the EPA stated that 27 new Brownfield sites have been listed as “Ready for Anticipated Reuse,” which allows businesses to invest in properties without the fear of potential contamination from hazardous chemicals.

“With these grants, we will see even more properties transform into thriving economic centers while providing a safe environment for all Americans,” EPA Regional Administrator Scott Mason said in the press release.

Pine Bluff must satisfy legal and administrative requirements to receive the funds from the EPA.