NEWS ARCHIVE:     Age: 2,698 days

See This Full Issue

All Previous Archived Issues

VILLAGE OF SUSSEX NETS $200,000 FOR BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP FROM DNR

March 31, 2015

MADISON - The village of Sussex in southeast Wisconsin is looking to improve part of its downtown business district with the help of an award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources brownfields program.

The department awarded $200,000 in grant funds to the Sussex Community Development Authority from the Ready for Reuse Loan and Grant Program to use for excavating petroleum-contaminated soil on a half-acre site along Main Street and Kneiske Drive.

"These brownfield funds go a long way in helping communities like Sussex get a jump on cleaning up contaminated sites and spurring economic redevelopment in the process," said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.

During the 1950s, the site was filled in with soil in order to raise the elevation of the area to match the elevation of Main Street. The village bought the property in 2014 and planned to unearth and realign Spring Creek in order to address a failing culvert and promote redevelopment along Main Street.

The department is also funding a portion of the stream unearthing and realignment project with a Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement and Storm Water grant and a Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award.

Once the contaminated soil has been removed and disposed of at a licensed facility, clay soils will be installed to cap the property.

The work along Spring Creek will reduce the risk to soil contaminants and the potential release of contaminants to the creek, improve creek water quality and conveyance of flood waters, and improve the overall aesthetics of the Main Street corridor.

In the last decade, DNR has awarded nearly $8.5 million in Ready for Reuse grants or loans to more than 20 communities across the state to help clean up contaminated properties known as brownfields. The Wisconsin DNR's brownfields program is an award-winning national leader in these redevelopment efforts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Haag, DNR Brownfields and Outreach Section Chief, 608-266-0244; Andrew Savagian, Communications, 608-261-6422

Last Revised: Tuesday, March 31, 2015





Need an expert?

The Office of Communications connects journalists with DNR experts on a wide range of topics. For the fastest response, please email DNRPress@Wisconsin.gov and the first available Communications Specialist will respond to you.