EPA Awards $1.5 Million in Brownfield Grants in Puerto Rico to Assess and Clean Up Neighborhoods

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that three recipients in Puerto Rico had been selected to receive $1.5 million in Brownfields grants to assess, clean up, and revitalize local lands. These grants are good news for Puerto Rico as there are a number of places, including former industrial, manufacturing, and even medical sites located across the islands that left behind hazardous materials.

According to the EPA:
These investments support locally driven redevelopment, unlocking economic opportunity, creating jobs, and improving public health outcomes in communities in Puerto Rico. These will keep critical momentum going in communities already benefiting from Brownfields investments, ensuring continued progress toward safe and reusable land.

“The agency describes a brownfield as a property where the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “These may include asbestos, lead, arsenic, PCBs, petroleum, solvents, and other exposure risks. In these cases, it is important that comprehensive outdoor and indoor environmental assessments be conducted to identify potential hazards so they can be properly addressed. These actions protect workers performing demolition, remediation, renovation, and construction activities, and are often required by health and safety regulations. They also safeguard future occupants on these properties.”

Dedicated to helping with these efforts are the building science, industrial hygiene, and environmental, health, and safety professionals at Zimmetry Environmental. Their experts provide testing, monitoring, consulting, and training services for biological, chemical, radiological, and physical exposure risks. They are also well-versed in Puerto Rico’s regulatory compliance requirements for handling hazardous materials, protecting workers and the public, and looking after the environment.

To learn more about Zimmetry’s brownfield support resources or other compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005, or email info@zimmetry.com.

About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.

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