SALT LAKE CITY - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.5 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites in Utah. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration's commitment to ensure that clean air, land and water for goes hand-in-hand with economic growth and opportunity.

"EPA is focused on delivering practical results that transform contaminated properties into clean, valuable spaces that spark economic growth and that directly benefit American families," said Acting Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management Thomas Croci. "Addressing environmental contamination and reusing brownfield properties revitalizes neighborhoods, drives local job creation, and unleashes new economic opportunities. EPA is proud to partner with local communities to ensure they have the cleanest air, land, and water as we power the Great American Comeback." 

"These Brownfields grants will help Utah communities clean up contaminated sites and unlock opportunities for redevelopment and investment," said Regional Administrator Cyrus Western. "By transforming underused properties into community assets, EPA is helping create healthier neighborhoods and stronger local economies."

Clean air, land and water for all Americans is the first pillar of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. These grants put that commitment into action while simultaneously powering economic growth in communities across the country. Selected applications for the 2026 Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants and RLF supplemental funding in Utah include:

• Utah Department of Environmental Quality - $2 million Assessment Grant: Grant funds will be used for Community-wide Assessment Grants to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach across a variety of priority sites.

• Salt Lake County - $1.5 million Assessment Grant: Grant funds will be used to conduct brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach. Grant funds will be used to complete environmental assessments at three priority sites in Salt Lake County to identify if contamination is present at the sites prior to redevelopment.

Grant recipients with viable cleanup projects ready for work will help communities continue their work to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects on contaminated brownfield properties.

View the list of selected applicants in Utah here.

Background

EPA's Brownfields Program began in 1995 and, once these grants are awarded, will have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments leveraged more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, on average, $19.47 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields Grant dollar awarded through multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup cooperative agreements.

After selection, awards will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied by selected applicants.