Brownfields Buzz
Your hub for brownfields spotlights, tools, events, news, and more!
March, 2025
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TAB Fellows Present Research at K-State GRAD Forum
In early March, TAB Fellows presented their research at the K-State GRAD Forum, an annual event highlighting graduate student research and scholarly work. The fellows’ posters explored critical topics surrounding environmental justice and housing production in brownfield redevelopment. TAB Fellow Avery Neer was awarded "Best Poster" in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education category.
The showcased research stems from KSU's Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Fellowship, which supports faculty and graduate students in working with communities to revitalize brownfield sites. Through the fellowship, faculty and students actively engage in community-driven projects that address brownfield assessment, policy recommendations, and redevelopment strategies, helping transform these sites into assets for sustainable growth.
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Research Highlights:
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The United States is experiencing a severe housing crisis with the Joint Center for Housing Studies stating 23% of households spend more than a third of their income on housing, and homelessness has risen more than 5% in the last year. Additionally, while single-family construction is accelerating, multifamily development is declining.
- Eco-gentrification occurs when brownfield sites are remediated or redeveloped. Following hazard mitigation, property values sometimes increase, displacing vulnerable communities.
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Due to historical development patterns and market forces, brownfields are disproportionately found in low-income neighborhoods. Industrial activities, zoning policies, and disinvestment have led to the clustering of former industrial and commercial sites in these areas, where land is often cheaper and environmental regulations were historically weaker. For example, in the Kansas City metropolitan area, which spans both Kansas (KS) and Missouri (MO), there are 492 identified brownfields.
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Looking for a Renewable Energy Site?
Explore Your Options with EPA's RE-Powering Mapper
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With over 190,000 pre-screened sites, the EPA’s RE-Powering Mapper is a powerful interactive tool designed to help users identify contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites suitable for renewable energy development.
- The Mapper provides insights into potential locations for solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy projects.
- Users can filter data based on key attributes such as acreage, renewable energy capacity, site proximity to substations, and it can even generate site-specific renewable energy reports.
The RE-Powering Mapper is incredibly user-friendly. If you're looking to maximize this tool's potential, the EPA offers step-by-step tutorials on its website.
And if you’re considering a redevelopment project and want guidance on how to get started, reach out to a TAB team member for expert support. We’re here to help!
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Join us on May 1st, 2025, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM EDT for a free webinar with all regional TAB Providers, where we’ll cover everything you need to prepare for the FY26 grants—including assessment, cleanup, and multipurpose opportunities.
Don’t miss this chance to set yourself up for success—register today!
| | 2025 Phoenix Awards Nominations Are Open! | | |
The Phoenix Awards, the premier recognition program for brownfield redevelopment, are returning. This time in Chicago! For over 20 years, these awards have celebrated the transformative power of brownfield revitalization, honoring projects and practitioners who turn contaminated sites into thriving community assets. From job creation to environmental restoration, these projects showcase the best in redevelopment innovation.
Nominations are now open!
If you know of an outstanding brownfield project or a visionary leader in the field, submit a nomination by April 30, 2025. Winners will be announced in June and honored at the National Brownfields Training Conference in Chicago, August 5-8, 2025.
Help recognize the people and projects shaping the future—spread the word and encourage nominations today!
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Grant Applications Made Easier: Take Advantage
of the Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
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NOTE: The future of this EPA program is uncertain at this time. Please contact individual Grantmaker organizations to receive confirmation that they are still in operation and accepting applications. Some Grantmakers are currently slated for termination, while others are being flagged for further review.
Federal grant applications are no easy feat, especially for resource-limited communities and organizations. Fortunately, the EPA’s Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program works to alleviate much of the burden that the federal grants process places on resource-constrained community organizations by streamlining the application process. Grantmakers design their own competitive application and submission processes, award subgrants, implement a tracking and reporting system, and provide resources and support to communities in collaboration with the EPA.
Many regional grantmakers accept applications on a rolling basis, but several have deadlines in April—you’ll want to act fast to be considered.
- The Regional Grantmakers are committed to distributing 80% of their total award in subgrants ranging from $75,000 to $350,000.
- Applicants eligible to receive this funding are community-based nonprofits, local governments, institutions of higher education, and Native American organizations planning to address environmental issues with assessment, planning, or development activities.
Regions with Application Deadlines and Re-openings in April:
- Region 1 - Environmental Justice for New England
- Region 3 - Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Inc.
- Region 4 - Cultivating Healthy Environments
- Region 5 - Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
- Region 7 - Cultivating Healthy Environments
- Region 9 - Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs
Visit the EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program page to learn more and get started.
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Follow your KSU TAB Team on LinkedIn and Facebook!
Visit our website at www.ksutab.org.
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