The US Environmental Protection Agency joined federal partners to meet with New Castle and Lawrence County Economic Development leadership and community leaders to discuss how EPA can assist the city in the redevelopment of former Brownfields and sites in Opportunity Zones that had become tarnished from past industrial activity.

EPA representatives and city leaders toured various blighted properties to see circumstances on the ground and to provide New Castle with EPA assessment assistance and expertise on redevelopment planning and implementation with regard to environmental considerations.

"Revitalizing a brownfields site, especially one in an Opportunity Zone, starts with understanding how the community's site reuse goals align with local economic, infrastructure, social and environmental conditions," said Servidio. "EPA can provide consultation and tools to assist New Castle in determining the best options for turning sites into productive, prosperous, job-creating enterprises."

A tour of four facilities in the New Castle area, included the former Shenango China plant, the Grove Commons Limited Partnership Site, the USC. Calley Club and the Temple Building Parking Lot, all in New Castle.

The Shenango China site is currently being assessed for redevelopment using EPA funding to determine the extent and type of contamination and the next steps for stabilizing the property.

The Grove Commons, Calley Club, and Temple Building Parking Lot are all Brownfields sites located in Opportunity Zones - three out of a total of eight Brownfields in the New Castle area.

Opportunity Zones were created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017; wherein private investors can receive tax incentives for redevelopment in economically distressed communities while also driving economic growth and supporting community revitalization.

Grants awarded by EPA's Brownfields Program provide communities across the country with an opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes while taking advantage of existing infrastructure.

For more information on EPA's Brownfields Program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields