DNR Awards Brownfields Grants To Calumet County And The Cities Of Manitowoc And Brillion

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced three grants of $75,000 each to Calumet County, the city of Manitowoc and the city of Brillion to investigate environmental contamination in their communities.

Through the DNR's Wisconsin Assessment Monies program, these grants provide communities with funding for environmental assessment activities at eligible brownfield sites. Brownfields are abandoned, idle and underused commercial or industrial properties where potential contamination stalls reuse. They vary in size, location, age and past use.

The awarded funds will support investigations of contamination at properties in all three communities and the development of action plans to address the contamination. Redeveloping the properties is important for meeting community goals for safe, affordable housing and commercial development.

Calumet County secured a grant for activities at a county-owned 1.97-acre brownfield property close to Lake Winnebago in Quinney. Calumet County acquired the property in 2020 through tax foreclosure. It previously worked with the DNR and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address environmental concerns associated with its past use as a metal plating facility. The grant supports further assessment of contamination and the development of a plan for remedial actions to allow for redevelopment.

The city of Manitowoc will use its grant to sample soil and groundwater at a 3.55-acre site along the Manitowoc River within the River Point District. The site, formerly used as a lumber mill and a coal storage and docking area, is targeted for redevelopment into multi-family residential townhomes, a riverwalk and greenspace. Sampling results will be used to develop a cleanup plan and allow the city to provide additional housing for the community.

The grant to the city of Brillion supports the assessment of a 5.7-acre site within the Brillion Iron Works brownfield redevelopment area, the location of a former foundry that closed in 2016. The city-owned site is targeted for redevelopment into a boutique hotel, meeting space and restaurant. The former foundry buildings were razed, and the city began investigating environmental conditions at the property. The grant will support further investigation of soil and groundwater conditions, which will aid planning efforts to clean up and safely redevelop the property.

“The activities carried out by these three communities because of the grants will help redevelop sites and benefit the communities,” said Jodie Thistle, DNR brownfields, outreach and policy section manager. “Redevelopment efforts like this lead to significant public and private investment, increase the tax base and create new housing and jobs.”

Since 2009, the DNR's Wisconsin Assessment Monies program has provided nearly $3.3 million to 70 communities, partnering to help clean up and redevelop often run-down or underused properties that detract from a community's potential. Applications for assistance may be submitted to the DNR at any time.

The DNR offers a wide range of financial and liability tools to help local governments, businesses, lenders and others clean up and redevelop brownfields in Wisconsin. These include Ready for Reuse financial awards, which may be used for environmental cleanup. DNR staff around the state are available to meet with community leaders, bankers, developers and individuals to discuss brownfield projects through Green Team meetings.

More information about the DNR’s brownfield cleanup programs and services is available on the DNR’s Brownfields website.