Olneyville site receives $500K grant for brownfields cleanup

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that the What Cheer Flower Farm will receive a $500,000 grant to expediate cleanup.

The 2.7-acre site at 63 Magnolia St. is currently contaminated with metals, chlorinated volatile organic compounds, petroleum, and inorganic contaminants from previous manufacturing operations.

The grant comes from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, which aims to grow the American economy, and is also the largest ever awarded in the history of the EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup program.

“[The] EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity, and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities,” the agency said.

According to the EPA, a brownfield is land that is abandoned due to contamination from previous industrial use.

“Seeing condemned, hazardous buildings coming down and colorful flowers blooming in the spring could not be a more tangible sign that something good is happening in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence,” Gov. Dan McKee said.

The What Cheer Flower Farm will also use funds from the grant to support community outreach activates.