Big Sky Economic Development Awarded A $1,000,000 EPA Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Grant

Thursday the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Big Sky Economic Development has been selected to receive a $1,000,000 Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grant – one of only eleven new RLF grants awarded nationwide. These funds can be used to fund cleanup of Brownfield sites throughout Yellowstone County.

“Outstanding! This will be a tremendous tool to support the community’s redevelopment goals. The Big Sky Economic Development team has had successful experience providing Brownfields assessments for development projects, now totaling over $1.5 million. This new loan program allows us to move these assessments to clean-up projects that facilitate new private investment in the heart of our community.” – Steve Arveschoug, Executive Director

BSED’s award is part of the EPA’s nationwide announcement of 267 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) grants to 262 communities.

The Brownfields Grant funding announced today will help communities remove longstanding barriers to reuse and spur new redevelopment to transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places. These Brownfields Grants not only support economic growth and job creation, but they also empower communities to address the environmental, public health, and social issues associated with contaminated land.

The Environmental Protection Agency also announced $45 million in supplemental funding to 22 successful, existing Revolving Loan Fund Grant recipients who have demonstrated success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfield sites. Supplemental funding for Revolving Loan Fund Grants is available to recipients that have depleted their funds and have viable cleanup projects ready for work.  This non-competitive supplemental funding will keep the momentum going for communities served by existing successful grant recipients so that more cleanups can be completed.

Big Sky Economic Development Authority was one of 5 communities in Montana to receive funding.

Learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-more-315-million-through-investing-america