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The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) has approved $119,258 in Brownfields Redevelopment Grant Funding to complete the investigation and cleanup of the Belt Line Shell station in Collinsville. The funding is being provided as part of Opportunity Returns, the Governor’s comprehensive, proactive economic development plan for the Southwest region.
The former gasoline station closed 12 years ago and was heavily contaminated with gasoline during its operation. The City of Collinsville and Bucky’s, Inc., are providing $57,454 to help meet the 30 percent matching funds obligation for the grant. Upon completion and receipt of a No Further Remediation Letter from the IEPA, the site will be redeveloped as a filling station and a convenience store. In order to expedite completion of the project, cleanup work is being conducted concurrently with some of the construction activities on the new building.
So far, 101 Illinois communities have received more than $11.9 million for environmental assessments and cleanups of brownfields sites. The program began July 1, 1998.
The Opportunity Returns regional economic development plan is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. The state has been divided into 10 regions with a plan with specific actions for each region. Opportunity Returns contains tangible actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to business.