PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a $48,500 brownfields grant to the Town of Wellton to remove asbestos and hydraulic hoists from a town-owned building located at 28789 Los Angeles Ave. in Yuma County.

Brownfields are properties with active redevelopment potential hindered by known or perceived environmental contamination.

Formerly a gas station, the town currently uses the 1.6-acre property as a storage facility. The asbestos abatement and hydraulic hoist removal will prepare the property for development of a municipal complex to include the town hall and council chambers and the public safety department.

Town of Wellton Public Works Director Joe Grant shared, “We value ADEQ’s brownfields expertise and assistance in helping us reach our beautification goals for our downtown area.” Grant added, “The first grant we received last year identified what cleanup work needed to be done; this second grant will fund the actual cleanup work.”

“Recovering blighted properties by administering non-competitive grants through ADEQ’s brownfields program is just one way we accomplish environmentally responsible economic growth in our state,” ADEQ Director Henry Darwin said. “Our staff works diligently with grant applicants to create customized solutions that maximize program benefits for each community’s unique needs.”

ADEQ’s brownfields grant program is funded through a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Comprehensive Environmental Resource Recovery Act (CERCLA). Since it began in 2003, our brownfields grant program has funded more than 50 projects assisting local governments and nonprofits in completing environmental assessments and cleanup. For more information about the program, visit http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/waste/cleanup/brownfields.html or contact ADEQ Brownfields Coordinator Jennie Curé at jec@azdeq.gov or (602) 771-2296.