EPA Press Office:

EPA awards $1 million for cleanup and redevelopment projects in Spanish Fork and Murray, Utah

Brownfields grant funding to address property contamination and spur economic and community revitalization

Contacts 

U.S. EPA: Honor Morgan, morgan.honor@epa.gov 

City of Spanish Fork: Dave Anderson, (801) 804-4586, danderson@spanishfork.org  

City of Murray: Zachary Smallwood, (801) 270-2430, zsmallwood@murray.utah.gov  

 

SPANISH FORK, Utah (May 20, 2024) – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $1 million in Brownfields grant funding to support the environmental assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of critical properties in the communities of Spanish Fork and Murray, Utah.  The City of Spanish Fork will receive $500,000 to assess several priority properties that have elevated concentrations of contaminants in soil and groundwater. The City of Murray will receive $500,000 to assess contaminations at properties within their Murray Central Business District. 

These investments are part the agency’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs. 

“EPA’s Brownfields grants are supporting critical cleanup and redevelopment projects in Utah,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Today’s funding will help community leaders in Murray and Spanish Fork address contamination in soil, water and outdoor spaces and create new businesses, housing and recreational opportunities.” 

City of Spanish Fork: $500,000 

The City of Spanish Fork will use EPA Brownfields funding to assess environmental contamination at two priority sites within the city, the Express Way Landfill and the Foundry. 

“This grant will also give the city the opportunity to plan for the redevelopment of areas that are underutilized and have been used industrially,” said Mayor Mike Mendenhall. “I thank the EPA for their grant funding and continued support as we work to make Spanish Fork a great place to live and work." 

 

The Express Way Landfill property in the City of Spanish Fork. 

The Express Way Landfill sits on a 40-acre lot consisting of 13 parcels that have been combined into one landfill site. Previous investigations of the site have identified elevated concentrations of metals such as lead, arsenic and chromium in soil and benzene and arsenic in groundwater, as well as landfill gases. EPA Brownfields grant funding will assist with further site investigation and cleanup planning to understand the environmental impacts preventing the property from being redeveloped.  

EPA funding will also be used to assess the Foundry site, located in the Spanish Fork Industrial Park. Established in 1884, the Foundry manufactured iron and brass castings with the use of hazardous chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and semi-volatile compounds (SVOCs). Assessment of the site is necessary to determine whether the site is safe for redevelopment.  

The City of Spanish Fork will use EPA grant funding to investigate these centrally located Brownfields sites and create opportunities for development, including affordable housing and new commercial spaces. Revitalization of these spaces will increase local employment opportunities, generate tax revenue and provide services to the community.  

City of Murray: $500,000 

The City of Murray will use the EPA Brownfields grant funding to assess two priority sites in the Murray Central Business District, the Creek Pocket Park and the Soccer Locker. 

The Creek Pocket Park is a vacant residential parcel located near the historic Murray smelters and is a vital connection between the east and west sides of the city. EPA Brownfields funding will be used to assess contaminants of concern on the property, including lead, asbestos, arsenic, cadmium, and other heavy metals. 

After assessment and cleanup planning, the City plans to purchase and develop this property into a “pocket park” as part of the pedestrian-trail advancement along the creek. This will aid flood-plain mitigation plans and support the safe travel of residents through the central corridor.  

EPA funding will also assess contaminants at the Soccer Locker, a 2.78-acre lot located along the Little Cottonwood Creek. Previous investigations of the property indicate high levels of arsenic and other metals, presumed to be slag and mine waste.  

The City plans to develop the Soccer Locker into mixed-use affordable housing and commercial buildings to improve employment opportunities and resident quality of life. Assessment of this site will revitalize a blighted property into a space that will relieve housing burdens and food deserts in the area. 

Additional Background: 

EPA’s Brownfields Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Approximately 86% of the MAC and RLF Supplemental program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include overburdened communities. 

EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. Prior to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program made approximately $60 million available each year. Thanks to the President’s historic investments in America through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has now increased that yearly investment nearly 400 percent.   

To see the list of the FY 2024 Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup applicants selected for funding visit EPA’s FY 2024  Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Applicants webpage. 

For more information on EPA’s Brownfields Program visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.