Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) was in Camden City to deliver a $3.5 million Brownfields Grant awarded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Brownfield Grant is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Congressman Norcross helped pass and that was signed into law in November 2021.

“I helped pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve the quality of life for residents in South Jersey. Cleaning up old commercial and industrial sites to protect our neighborhoods from hazardous waste and polluted environments has been a longtime priority for me,” said Congressman Norcross. “I’m proud to have supported this funding and will continue to fight in Congress for policies that protect our environment and reduce the health burdens that Brownfield sites place on our communities.”

The announcement was made at Elijah Perry Park in the Centerville neighborhood of Camden City, which has several Brownfield sites. Today’s $3.5 million grant will advance environmental justice, spur economic revitalization, and create jobs by cleaning up contaminated, polluted, or hazardous brownfield properties. 

Brownfield projects can range from cleaning up buildings with asbestos or lead contamination, to assessing and cleaning up abandoned properties that once managed dangerous chemicals. Once cleaned up, former brownfield properties can be redeveloped into productive uses such as grocery stores, affordable housing, health centers, museums, parks, and solar farms.

“The brownfields program is a powerful tool that helps overburdened communities in New Jersey address local inequities by providing a means to revitalize properties and promote environmental health, economic growth, and job creation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “The Brownfields program transforms communities, and BIL gives the program a huge shot in the arm – with a historic $1.5 billion dollars that will be leveraged to make a real and lasting on-the-ground difference for communities across the country.”

In addition to the $3.5 million Brownfields Grant awarded to the Camden Redevelopment Agency, the EPA also awarded a $2 million Assessment Grant to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for projects statewide.