TARCOG Lands $1.5-Million Grant from EPA for Cleanup

Grant to Benefit Three North Alabama Regions

The Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) is set to receive a significant $1.5 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This federal grant, aimed at assisting with assessments for environmental cleanup and redevelopment planning, is bound to bring significant improvements and positive changes to Athens, Fort Payne, and Gurley—three areas of North Alabama confronting potential environmental concerns.

Federal Brownfield Assessment Grant

Funding for this project comes from the Federal Brownfield Assessment Grant, an essential part of the EPA’s Brownfields Program. A brownfield site refers to real property where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated due to the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. Through the grant, the EPA aims to empower state entities, communities, and stakeholders to team up and safely clean up these sites, ultimately revitalizing and repurposing them for community use. The federal government has previously enacted legislation to support such cleanup efforts.

Project Planning

TARCOG is in the process of planning and developing the required procedures to tackle these areas. According to Lee Terry, the Economic Development and Planning Director for TARCOG, the organization plans to utilize the funds to develop 15 cleanup plans and prepare three revitalization plans. For the next four years, engagement activities will be held in each of these communities to gather input on the potential for redevelopment.

Michelle Jordan, TARCOG’s Executive Director, expressed her pride in the team that secured the grant and her excitement about what the funding will mean for Athens, Limestone County, Gurley, and Fort Payne. She believes this grant will be the catalyst for positive changes in these areas.

Specific Areas of Focus

The accelerated assessment activities on the pipeline will focus on three specific sites—the Easy Street corridor in Athens’ downtown district, the Gault Avenue Corridor in Fort Payne, and the Walker Street Corridor in Gurley.

Contributors and collaborators on this important initiative include community members from Athens, Fort Payne, and the Singing River Trail—a greenway project spanning more than 200 miles across the top of Alabama and showcasing towns and cities along its routes. This transformative effort seeks to repurpose brownfield sites into valuable properties to enhance usage of the Singing River Trail for community enjoyment.

Serving DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison, and Marshall counties in North Alabama, TARCOG’s ongoing work in securing funding and planning the essential cleanup work signifies a step forward for regional development and environmental responsibility. The $1.5 million grant from the EPA represents a significant commitment to remediating environmental concerns and paving the way for sustainable redevelopment within these North Alabama regions.