Contacts
U.S. EPA: Richard Mylott, mylott.richard@epa.gov
Sweetgrass Development Corporation: Carrie Taylor, 406-599-2974, carrie@sweetgrassdevelopment.org
Cut Bank, Mont. (May 25, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the Sweetgrass Development Corporation will receive a $1 million Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Sweetgrass Development will use the EPA grant to clean up and advance redevelopment opportunities at several contaminated sites in Glacier and Toole Counties. Priority sites include former fueling stations in the Town of Sunburst, the vacant and dilapidated Cut Bank Mercantile property and the 32,000 square-foot former Glacier Motel in downtown Cut Bank.
“Sweetgrass Development continues to find opportunities to clean up and revitalize properties in some of Montana’s most rural communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “We look forward to seeing these projects contribute to new assets and businesses that will serve residents and visitors to Cut Bank, Sunburst and communities across Glacier and Toole Counties.”
“As a third-generation farmer, I understand the challenges rural America is facing, including the lasting impacts of toxic waste,” said U.S. Senator Jon Tester. “Cleaning up and revitalizing Montana’s remaining Brownfield sites breathes new life into our communities by creating some real opportunities for economic development. That’s why I am proud to have secured this funding in my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for cleanup projects across Big Sky Country to spur economic growth and improve the quality of life for folks from Glendive to Kalispell.”
EPA’s award to Sweetgrass Development is among six grants announced today totaling more than $5.7 million for cleanup and revitalization projects in communities across Montana. These funds are part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites while advancing environmental justice through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs. Thanks to the historic boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this funding is the largest ever awarded by the EPA’s Brownfields MARC Grant programs.
“These funds will be of great use to our rural areas,” said Sarah Converse, Executive Director of Sweetgrass Development. “Many of our projects through our Brownfields Assessment Program are for redevelopment of commercial and housing projects. The monies used will be a vital key to addressing the lack of housing and repurposing main street buildings, increasing the livability and vitality of our smallest communities.”
Sweetgrass Development will use the EPA funds for projects at several properties ready for cleanup, with contaminants of concern including asbestos, lead and petroleum compounds. The Suta South site, located in Sunburst at the I-15 exit, is a one-acre, three parcel property currently full of junk and debris. The property’s history as a fueling station left petroleum-impacted soils and benzene in groundwater. Redevelopment plans include a community park, playground and traveler rest area.
The nearby Suta North site, a two-acre vacant lot, is also an abandoned fueling station contaminated with petroleum compounds. The cleanup of the site will enable its safe redevelopment, including potential reuse as an electric car charging station for travelers on I-15.
Sweetgrass Development has also identified two priority properties in Cut Bank. The Cut Bank Mercantile is a vacant and dilapidated building where cleanup will advance plans to redevelop the site into a park. In addition, the vacant Glacier Motel, comprised of three buildings totaling 32,000 square feet, contains asbestos and lead-based paint. Potential reuse for the site includes renovation as a boutique hotel.
Other Brownfields grants announced in Montana today include:
Great Falls Development Authority: $500,000
Montana West Economic Development Foundation, Inc, Kalispell, Flathead County: $500,000
Big Sky Economic Development, Billings: $1 million
Great Northern Development Corporation, Glendive: $2,250,000
Beartooth Resource Conservation and Development, Stillwater, Carbon and Big Horn Counties and the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian Reservations: $460,000
Background
Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever begin to address the economic, social and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.
EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to direct 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities. Approximately 84% of the MARC program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in areas that include historically underserved communities.
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.37 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. EPA’s investments in addressing brownfield sites have leveraged more than $36 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Communities that previously received Brownfields Grants used these resources to fund assessments and cleanups of brownfields, and successfully leverage an average of 10.6 jobs per $100,000 of grant funds spent and $19.78 for every dollar.