The City of Lincoln has received an $800-thousand grant from the EPA to cleanup contaminated properties in the south and west Haymarket districts. Acting EPA Region 7 Administrator Edward Chu presented a novelty big check to Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird Friday morning at the former Nature’s Variety Cold Storage Facility at 7th and N.
“Brownfield grants like this one align with our local Climate Action Plan goals and do more than clean up polluted ground. They also create opportunities to build more housing, provide additional park land, address local food security, and improve our community’s health and well-being.”
The city will use the grant money to conduct six Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community involvement activities, develop cleanup and reuse plans, and clean up two priority sites. The grant project will focus on the South and West Haymarket Districts.
Priority sites in the SoHay District include the former Nature’s Variety Cold Storage Facility, a former grain elevator, Confidential Lumber Supply, and the former Police Garage and International Harvester Building. Priority sites in the West Haymarket District include a former United Pacific Railroad property known as the JPA site, the People’s City Mission site, and a former bulk oil distribution operation targeted for an urban agriculture project.
“Lincoln will use the funds to develop cleanup and reuse plans and on community involvement. These actions lay the foundation for building resilient and thriving neighborhoods,” Chu says.