The EPA has been issuing grants to non-profits in Birmingham and Atlanta

The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) has been issuing grants to clean-up and preserve of brownfields across the nation.  In Birmingham, the Freshwater Land Trust, a non-profit created in 1996 as a result of the Jefferson County violations of clean water regulations (which led to them being practically going bankrupt), has secured a $200,000 grant to purchase and preserve land surrounding Village Creek in the western portion of the Greater Birmingham area.  However, the majority of the Village Creek watershed is located within Birmingham corporate limits.  The grant would allow the Freshwater Land Trust to assess and clean up areas after years of abuse such as petrochemical dumping along Village Creek.

In Atlanta, the city is being rewarded $400,000 in brownfield grants to clean up parcels of lands along the proposed Beltline project and other redevelopment corridors.   The Beltline is one of the nation's largest urban redevelopment projects with it being proposed to have 22 miles of rail transit and green space.  Although the project has seen some major roadblocks, its most aggressive proponents have worked extensively to continue to push for it to come to fruition.