PCUL lands EPA grant

Price County United Limited has been awarded a $1.67 million federal grant to clean up the former Lionite mill property in Phillips, according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency press release on May 20.

The former wood-products production facility dates back to 1883 and was in continued operations through 2015. According to a previous PCUL announcement, the nonprofit organization came to a purchase agreement with the facility owners and now own the 26.2-acre cleanup site that is now vacant and fenced off, contaminated with hazardous heavy metals and inorganic substances.

“Price County United Limited’s clean up grant will focus on the 9.2-acres of the greater 26-acre waterfront property next to historic downtown Phillips,” said PCUL President Lynda Ludwig in the EPA announcement. “The site has been in industrial use since 1883, 141 years, and idle for the last 10 years. Get ready to witness a remarkable transformation that will elevate Phillips and the Northern Wisconsin central corridor. PCUL is committed to bringing the site back to productive use, serving the community’s resiliency and sustainability goals.”

Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities.

The EPA announcement said more than $8 million in grants were awarded to the Wisconsin Department of Employment and Economic Development as part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Wisconsin, while also working to advance environmental justice. The funds were awarded through the EPA Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup and Revolving Loan Fund grant programs to help transform once-polluted, vacant and abandoned properties into community assets, while helping to create good jobs and spur economic revitalization in overburdened communities.

The EPA selected three communities in Wisconsin to receive grants totaling $4,139,394 in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the multipurpose, assessment, and cleanup grant program. In addition, the agency is announcing $4.5 million in supplemental funding to two existing, high-performing brownfields revolving loan fund grant programs to help expedite their continued work at sites in Wisconsin.

“Far too many communities across America have suffered the harmful economic and health consequences of living near polluted brownfield sites. I’ve long believed that people who’ve borne the burden of pollution should be the first to see the benefits of new investment. Under my Administration, we are making that a reality by ensuring the historic resources from my Investing in America agenda reach communities that need it most,” Biden said in the press release.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the Biden agenda looks at contaminated sites and blighted areas as an opportunity to invest in healthier, revitalized communities.

“That’s why he secured historic funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supercharging EPA’s Brownfields program to clean up contaminated properties in overburdened communities and bring them back into productive use.”

EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore said the Great Lakes Region has a rich industrial history that brought with it economic prosperity. It also left a legacy of contamination that continues to plague many communities.

“With today’s announcement and the ongoing investments from the Biden Administration, EPA and our many partners are accelerating brownfield cleanups and community redevelopment,” Shore said.

Gov. Tony Evers said that children in schools, homes, businesses and farmers rely on clean water and fruitful land for crops and livestock. Protecting the state’s natural resources is essential for the heritage and tradition of the state.

“We are ready for bold and urgent solutions to address the problems facing Wisconsinites today, and I’m grateful to the DNR and our partners at the federal level who are working to make meaningful investments in cleaning up harmful contaminants and building healthier, stronger communities across Wisconsin,” Evers said.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, said the contaminated sites, vacant for years, have deterred economic investment and left entire neighborhoods behind. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law brought long overdue investments to revitalize these abandoned areas.

“Today’s announcement puts Wisconsin on the path to cleaning up these hazardous sites, keeping Wisconsinites healthy, bringing new life to the space, and growing our economy,” Baldwin said.