Wayne County has been awarded a 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 sites that are in need of redevelopment. The announcement of this grant was part of a larger initiative in July, during which the state revealed a total of 36 awards aimed at revitalizing brownfield areas.
The BRAG program is supported by the Rural Brownfield Redevelopment Investment Act, a legislative measure designed to protect the environment while fostering economic development, especially in rural communities. This act empowers local governments and development boards with the necessary tools and resources to investigate, clean up, and rehabilitate properties that have been abandoned or underutilized due to concerns about contamination.
Brownfields are typically defined as properties that are no longer in use and may be perceived as hazardous due to potential pollutants. By addressing these sites through remediation efforts, the BRAG program not only mitigates environmental risks but also encourages investment, ultimately benefiting both the economy and public health.