Lawrence County has recently been awarded a substantial grant of $20,000 from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) as part of the Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grants (BRAG) initiative. This funding will enable the county to identify and prioritize specific sites for redevelopment efforts. The announcement of this grant was part of a larger initiative in July, where a total of 36 awards for brownfield redevelopment were disclosed.
The financial support provided through the BRAG program stems from the Rural Brownfield Redevelopment Investment Act, a legislative measure designed to protect the environment while simultaneously fostering economic development, particularly in rural communities. This act empowers local governments and development boards with the necessary tools and resources to investigate, clean up, and revitalize properties that have been abandoned or underutilized due to concerns about contamination.
Brownfields are defined as properties that are no longer in use or are vacant, often due to potential environmental hazards. The remediation of these sites not only mitigates risks to public health and the environment but also encourages private investment, paving the way for future economic growth in the area.