The City of Dubuque has been awarded $500,000 Brownfields Cleanup Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), continuing its history of active participation in the program.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy visited Dubuque on Wednesday, Aug. 12, to present the new grant to Mayor Brad Cavanagh.

Since the late 1990s, Dubuque has leveraged $2 million in Brownfields funding into approximately $942 million in total reinvestment into areas including the Port of Dubuque, Historic Millwork District, and Bee Branch Watershed.

“Dubuque is grateful for this support and our long relationship with the EPA’s regional staff,” said Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh. “They have been a tremendous partner for over 20 years and have enabled Dubuque to transform and ‘reactivate’ some very challenged properties. This latest grant will help us continue these efforts.”

The EPA’s Brownfields program empowers organizations to work together to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfield sites. A brownfield site is an area where redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

The latest Brownfields grant awarded to the City will be used to develop cleanup and reuse plans, conduct health monitoring, and support community engagement activities in targeted areas. The specific locations being considered for cleanup and reuse are:

• 201 E. 5th St.: Formerly a fill site, this undeveloped 12.5-acre lot with access to U.S. Highways 61/151 has potential for a variety of developments.
• Former Alliant Energy Power Plant: The former coal-powered electric generating station sits on a 14-acre waterfront site along Kerper Blvd.
• South Port Parcels: Several industrial sites totaling 4.3 acres within the South Port area are targeted for mixed-use development with affordable or workforce housing.
• 455 E. 15th St.: This former scrap yard and recycling facility requires further environmental assessment to determine its potential for redevelopment.

The project at 455 E. 15th St. will also be supported by the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA), which received an additional $500,000 in EPA funding.

Dating back to the late 1990s, Dubuque has demonstrated a significant ability to leverage Brownfields funding into investments that far exceed the initial federal funding. Some of the projects previously awarded Brownfield grants in Dubuque include:

• North Port of Dubuque: EPA-supported assessments and planning helped redevelop 33 acres of vacant waterfront, driving more than $600 million in investment into what is now known as the Port of Dubuque.
• Historic Millwork District: Brownfields-supported planning helped prepare former industrial sites for adaptive reuse, resulting in more than $146 million in combined public and private investment.
• Bee Branch Watershed: Due diligence made possible by Brownfields funding and an additional $600,000 in EPA grants bolstered a $280 million flood-mitigation project that has safeguarded local businesses and economic resilience.
• Comiskey Park: EPA-supported environmental work, combined with nearly $2 million in local funds, have strengthened Comiskey Park as a neighborhood hub with improved recreation, safety, and inclusive amenities.

Additional information on the City of Dubuque’s efforts to leverage Brownfields funding can be found at cityofdubuque.org/brownfields or by contacting the City of Dubuque Economic Development Department at 563.564.5686.