MONROE, La. (AP) - A northern Louisiana parish has received a nearly $500,000 federal grant to redevelop more than a dozen abandoned industrial and commercial sites.
The News Star reports that the grants from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Program will be used in the region surrounding Monroe. The money will help fund the development of cleanup plans for areas thought to be contaminated by chemicals or other pollutants. The grant will also fund assessments on how the sites can be reused in the future.
EPA officials say the program could attract jobs, generate increased local tax revenue and raise property values. The paper quotes Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo as saying she hopes the funds will boost economic growth.
The EPA awarded 107 grants nationwide.
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