Tosa wins another round of brownfields grant funding

Wauwatosa received a $200,000 federal grant to help clean up contaminated properties, known as brownfields, to create opportunities for redevelopment within the city.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant dollars will be used to update the city's brownfields Geographic Information Systems database, perform environmental site assessments, prepare cleanup plans and target redevelopment corridors.

"Given the scarce grant funds available, the award is a vote of confidence from U.S. EPA that the city of Wauwatosa has successfully administered and expended its 2009 Brownfield Assessment Grants," Paulette Enders, city development director, said.

The EPA already has granted $400,000 to Wauwatosa. That money was used to test for contamination at sites including the former lumber mill/manufacturing facility at 69th and State streets, where PNC Bank is building a new branch, and at the long-vacant structure at 65th Street and North Avenue, which has been redeveloped into Home Solutions, a home maintenance and accessibility provider.

Wauwatosa was the only prior municipal grant recipient in Wisconsin that received assessment funding this round. There are a number of sites requiring assessment throughout the community, Enders said.