Senator Murray Announces Nearly $2 Million to Clean Up Hazardous Sites, Research Impact of Environmental Stressors on Children

Senator Murray: “Cleaning up hazardous brownfield sites and understanding the effects that agricultural pesticides have on children’s health are important steps towards protecting our environment and families in Washington state.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $1.9 million in combined funding for the cleanup and development of brownfield sites in western Washington state, and for a University of Washington study into the impact of environmental stressors on early childhood development in agricultural communities. The brownfield cleanup grants are administered by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senator Murray helped pass as Assistant Majority Leader.

A brownfield is a property polluted by a hazardous substance or contaminant that prevents the redevelopment or reuse of the land for homes and businesses. The EPA Brownfield Grants Program funding awarded to Tumwater and Kelso provides resources to characterize, assess, and carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.

“Cleaning up hazardous brownfield sites and understanding the effects that agricultural pesticides have on children’s health are important steps towards protecting our environment and families in Washington state,” said Senator Murray. “Living up to our promise of environmental justice for all communities is something I take very seriously, and these federal dollars for brownfield cleanup and critically important environmental health research at UW will help us fulfill this commitment.”

The three projects awarded EPA funding are:

• $500,000 for the City of Tumwater for brownfield cleanup and development.
• $500,000 for the City of Kelso for brownfield cleanup and development.
• $910,00 for the University of Washington to support a research project characterizing environmental stressors on early childhood development in agricultural communities. The project will study impacts to children in who are exposed to chemical and non-chemical stressors in the early stages of their life from nearby farms.

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