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MassDEP says state led in Brownfields funding, awards MOSFRA grants to coastal groups
Summary
MassDEP announced Brownfields regional roundtables and said Massachusetts secured $36.64 million in Brownfields funds nationally and anticipates $4 million for state Brownfields over five years; MassDEP also awarded $691,000+ in MOSFRA grants to municipalities, nonprofits and private groups for coastal oil-spill preparedness.
At its June 27 office hours, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection highlighted recent Brownfields activity and awarded MOSFRA coastal preparedness grants.
MassDEP said the state continues to be a national leader in Brownfields work and has restarted regional Brownfields roundtables with recent sessions in New Bedford, Haverhill and Fitchburg and a planned September session in Springfield. The department reported it secured a large federal/state slot for Brownfields funding and that "we were one of the top, if not the top, garnering state across the nation to receive the most dollars of any single state, again, across the country, $36,640,000, towards brownfields," the host said.
Separately, MassDEP referenced historic 128A funds dedicated to the Brownfields Program and said it anticipates $4,000,000 over the next five years to support projects across seven communities. David Foss and Abby Anderson were named as Brownfields leads.
On coastal oil-spill preparedness, MassDEP's MOSFRA program reported completion of geographic response strategies, delivery of over 83 spill trailers to coastal communities and contracting of research to evaluate spill response under climate change. The department said on May 30, 2024, the governor and lieutenant governor announced more than $691,000 in MOSFRA grants awarded to nine municipalities, three nonprofit groups and two private organizations. Named recipients included the town of Barnstable, UMass and Buzzards Bay Coalition among others.
Why it matters: Brownfields funds and MOSFRA grants support local cleanup and coastal protection projects that enable redevelopment, community health protections and emergency preparedness.
Next steps: MassDEP encouraged local officials and project leads uncertain about funding eligibility to contact regional staff and Brownfields coordinators for technical and financial assistance. The statewide assessment grant awarded in May 2024 will go live on Oct. 1 and will fund assessment activities in identified communities.
Ending: MassDEP closed the fiscal-year update noting continued work into FY2025 and invited stakeholders to engage at August advisory meetings and regional roundtables.
