Funding will support site assessments in New Albany, Charlestown, and Scottsburg
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (July 7, 2026) — River Hills Economic Development District and Regional Planning Commission has been selected to receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, giving Southern Indiana communities new support to take a closer look at properties with redevelopment potential. There are three targeted sites, but the scope is not limited to just those three. River Hills will seek more sites to add to the inventory.
The grant will initially focus on sites in New Albany, Charlestown, and Scottsburg, including properties that have been vacant, underused, or held back because of environmental questions. For communities, that matters. Before an old industrial site, former gas station, abandoned facility, or long-vacant property can be safely reused, local leaders often need to know what is there, what needs to be addressed, and what kind of future use makes sense. This grant helps pay for that work.
River Hills will use the funding to conduct 12 Phase I environmental site assessments and four Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds will also support one cleanup plan, four reuse plans, and community engagement.
“This is the kind of funding that helps communities move from wondering what is possible to knowing what is possible,” said Adam Dickey, River Hills interim executive director. “These properties can be complicated, but they also represent opportunity. Assessment work gives local leaders, residents, and partners the information they need to make responsible decisions and begin planning for what comes next.”
The target areas for the grant are the cities of New Albany, Charlestown, and Scottsburg. Priority sites include the 115-acre Public Works Facility in Charlestown, an 8-acre abandoned canning factory in Scottsburg, and the 0.5-acre Old Dock Seafood property in New Albany, which once housed a gas station.
Each site is different, but the goal is the same: better understand the property, address potential environmental concerns, and help the community plan for safe, productive reuse.
A brownfield is a property where redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence, or possible presence, of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. Brownfield sites can range from large former industrial properties to smaller commercial sites. They are often places people pass by every day without realizing how much potential they still hold.
When left untouched, these properties can create challenges for nearby neighborhoods, limit private investment, and keep land from being used in ways that benefit the community. When assessed and planned for properly, they can become part of a community’s next chapter.
“This is not just about studying sites,” Dickey said. “It is about helping communities get unstuck. A property may sit unused for years because no one has the information needed to move forward. This grant helps provide that information and opens the door to future investment, cleanup, and reuse.”
The River Hills award is part of a larger EPA announcement for Fiscal Year 2026 Brownfields funding. Across the country, 190 communities were selected to receive 193 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant awards totaling more than $248 million. EPA also announced $22.5 million in supplemental funding for 31 existing Revolving Loan Fund Grant recipients, bringing the total Brownfields investment announced to more than $270 million.
EPA’s Brownfields Program is designed to help states, Tribal Nations, local governments, and communities assess, clean up, and redevelop underutilized properties while protecting public health and the environment. The FY 2026 awards support EPA’s Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American.
For Southern Indiana, the grant strengthens the kind of regional work River Hills has long supported: helping local communities access resources, plan responsibly, and turn ideas into action.
The assessment process will also include community engagement, giving residents, local officials, property owners, and other stakeholders opportunities to learn more and provide input as planning moves forward.
“Redevelopment works best when communities are part of the conversation,” Dickey said. “The people who live and work near these sites understand their history, their challenges, and their potential. Their input matters.”
EPA anticipates making the award once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. The cooperative agreement will be negotiated after the selection announcement, and the final funding amount and activities are subject to change.
River Hills will continue working with EPA and local partners in New Albany, Charlestown, and Scottsburg as the grant process moves forward.
About River Hills Economic Development District and Regional Planning Commission
River Hills Economic Development District and Regional Planning Commission serves communities in Southern Indiana through economic development, community planning, grant administration, and regional coordination. River Hills works with local governments, community partners, and state and federal agencies to support projects that strengthen communities, improve quality of life, and promote responsible growth across the region.
About EPA’s Brownfields Program
EPA’s Brownfields Program helps states, Tribal Nations, communities, and other stakeholders prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfield sites. A brownfield is real property where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Through competitive grant programs, EPA provides funding to help eligible communities assess, clean up, and plan for the reuse of brownfield properties.
