Epa awards $1 million grant for brownfields site cleanup in camden — Photo 47753202 / Camden © Jon Bilous | Dreamstime.com

CAMDEN, N.J. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $1 million grant to Camden Lutheran Housing Inc. to clean up a contaminated site in Camden. The Former West Jersey Paper Manufacturing Site, located at the intersection of North Front Street and Elm Street, has long been a barrier to local redevelopment due to soil contamination from its previous use in paper milling and pulp operations.

The grant, announced during a tour of redevelopment sites in Camden, is part of a broader initiative to revitalize communities across New Jersey. The cleanup will clear the way for the construction of 15 affordable single-family homes, marking a significant step in Camden’s ongoing efforts to provide more affordable housing.

“This critical funding from the EPA’s Brownfields Program and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow for the environmental and economic revitalization of several communities across the Garden State, including the city of Camden,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Cleaning up contaminated sites and constructing new, affordable homes will advance our mission of becoming the best state in the nation to live and raise a family.”

The half-acre site has been unusable due to contamination from its industrial past, but the grant aims to transform the area into a viable residential community. Camden Lutheran Housing Inc. will lead the cleanup efforts, which are a key part of the city’s larger strategy to redevelop medium-density residential land.

This grant is one of four awarded to New Jersey communities, totaling $3 million in EPA Brownfields funding. The Camden Redevelopment Agency also received $500,000 to conduct environmental site assessments, particularly in the Federal Street Industrial and Commercial Corridor in East Camden.

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