Chattanooga, TN – The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) recently awarded Lawrence County $20,000 from the Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grants program to support redevelopment efforts.
Lawrence County plans to use the funds to identify priority sites for redevelopment, part of a statewide initiative that includes 36 brownfield redevelopment grants announced in July.
The grants are funded by the Rural Brownfield Redevelopment Investment Act, which aims to protect the environment and stimulate economic opportunities in rural areas.
The act provides local governments and development boards with resources for investigating, cleaning up, and repurposing blighted properties.
Brownfields are properties that remain vacant or underutilized due to potential contamination. Redevelopment mitigates health and environmental risks while attracting economic investment.