Asbury Park to get $400,000 for brownfield redevelopment

Asbury Park officials can expect $400,000 for brownfield remediation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the near future, according to shore Representative Frank Pallone (D-6).

The funds represent two grants through the EPA's Brownfields Program. Pallone said that it will pay for environmental site assessments, preparation of two cleanup plans, and community outreach initiatives.

A spokesman for the Congressman told WOBM News that the targeted area is just west of the NJ Transit train depot and the core downtown area.

The project would include the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of properties that they hope would bridge the perceptual gaps between Asbury's east and west sides, as delineated by the railroad tracks.

Pallone, who co-authored the Brownfields Program that then-President George W. Bush enacted in 2002, expressed satisfaction in having federal attention paid to the section of the city that houses its main business district.

"The Brownfields program has served communities well, helping make them healthier and more livable...This funding is essential to help clean up contaminated sites and ensure that the environment and surrounding residents are kept safe from pollutants," Pallone said.