Gov. Beshear Announces $11.5 Million in Cleanup and Redevelopment Funding

Funds will support brownfield cleanup projects across six Kentucky communities and agencies

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 7, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that six Kentucky communities and agencies are set to receive $11.5 million in grant federal funding to assess, clean up and redevelop “brownfields” – industrial and commercial properties that are known or suspected to contain contaminants.

“This support will allow us to breathe new life into properties that were previously abandoned,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “We’re excited to see the good that these projects will bring and the new opportunities they’ll create for families across Kentucky.”

Brownfields can include properties such as old factories, abandoned hospitals, old schools, former service stations and mine-scarred lands. There are an estimated 8,000 brownfields across the commonwealth. Since 2007, Kentucky communities have received $52 million in brownfield funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Program.

Funding recipients include:

• Bourbon County Fiscal Court will receive a $4 million Cleanup Grant for the Revive Riverside Park Project in Paris. The 20.6-acre site, originally a city park and later a municipal incinerator and waste transfer station, will be transformed for modern community use.
• Waterfront Botanical Gardens will receive a $4 million Cleanup Grant for Parcel B at 1435 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville. Once a residential neighborhood devastated by the 1937 flood and later a municipal dump, this land will be restored as public green space.
• Bluegrass Area Development District will receive a $1.5 million Assessment Coalition Grant to assess and plan cleanup and revitalization in Paris, Irvine, and Millersburg, targeting former industrial, educational, and residential sites.
• Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection will receive a $1 million supplemental Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) award for brownfield cleanups through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
• Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government will receive a $500,000 supplemental RLF award for brownfield cleanups through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
• Northern Kentucky Area Development District will receive a $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant to inventory, assess, and plan cleanup in Falmouth, including historic sites and vacant buildings ripe for redevelopment.

“These investments are about more than restoring land; they’re about restoring hope, sparking economic growth, and ensuring a healthier, brighter future for all Kentuckians,” said Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary John Lyons. “It’s an honor for our cabinet to help unlock the potential of these sites and partner with communities eager to shape a brighter future.”

“This award represents an extraordinary opportunity for Bourbon County and the city of Paris to work together to address what has been a decades long social and environmental injustice for the immediate neighborhood and all the citizens of Bourbon County,” said Bourbon County Judge-Executive Michael Williams. “This property has stood as a reminder of past environmental and economic challenges. Today, we are taking a major step toward transforming that challenge into an asset for future generations. The Revive Riverside Park project is about more than cleanup—it is about restoring opportunity, improving public health, and creating a place our community can be proud of.”

“This transformative grant from the EPA allows Waterfront Botanical Gardens to continue turning a former landfill into a place where nature prospers, and people thrive.” said Waterfront Botanical Gardens President & CEO Philip Koester. “The remediation of this undeveloped portion of our site will expand public access to green space while supporting tourism, education, economic development, and community connection. This investment represents a major step forward in advancing our Master Plan and long-term vision of becoming a world-class botanical garden that serves as both an environmental and cultural asset for Kentucky. We are immensely grateful to the EPA, the Energy and Environment Cabinet, and our local and state partners for recognizing the power of environmental restoration to create lasting public benefit for generations to come.”

“This EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant represents an important investment in Falmouth’s future and advances NKADD’s vision of helping communities transform underutilized properties into opportunities for economic growth and revitalization,” said Northern Kentucky Area Development District Executive Director Tara Johnson-Noem. “Falmouth is a resilient community with a rich history, but years of flooding, natural disasters, and economic challenges have left many former industrial and commercial properties vacant and underutilized. Through this grant, NKADD will work closely with the City of Falmouth and local partners to identify redevelopment opportunities, address environmental concerns, and lay the groundwork for new investment, jobs, housing, and community improvements. We are grateful for EPA’s partnership in helping Falmouth build a stronger, more resilient future while preserving the character and heritage that make the community unique.”

“This $500,000 award will help Louisville Metro Government offer more loans and forgivable loans to support brownfield cleanup across our city,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. said Brownfield cleanup is about more than removing contamination; it is about bringing properties back to life and creating opportunities for new housing, commercial space and neighborhood investment.”

The sites awarded were selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

For more information about Kentucky’s grant recipients or to inquire about funding for brownfields redevelopment, contact Kiersten O’Leary at 502.782.3342. For an overview of EPA’s Brownfields grants, please visit Types of EPA Brownfield Grant Funding | US EPA. For information regarding solicitations for FY 2027 Brownfields grant proposals, please visit Solicitations for Brownfield Grants | US EPA.

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