The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Norristown, Pennsylvania a $300,000 Brownfields grant to conduct site assessments of potentially contaminated properties, and determine the feasibility for cleanup and redevelopment, according to a press release.

The announcement was made at Five Saints Distilling on Main St. in Norristown. Five Saints owner John George spoke about how he was able to revitalize his distillery, which is in the former Human Fire Co. fire house, with the help of a previous grant from the EPA.

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“EPA’s Brownfields Program expands the ability of communities to recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses, using existing infrastructure” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These grants leverage other public and private investments, and improve local economies through property cleanup and redevelopment,” the press release continued.

“EPA’s Brownfields grants provide a boost to communities by helping to put people back to work while also creating cleaner, healthier and economically stronger neighborhoods,” said EPA Region 3 Administrator Cosmo Servidio. “The city of Norristown will use this funding to evaluate vacant unused industrial properties and explore ideas on how these properties can be cleaned up and returned to productive use.”

EPA has previously awarded $800,000 in Brownfields grants to Norristown and they have identified more than 60 sites for potential redevelopment including 17 properties that have been assessed to date with those funds.

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