Borough of Woodbine, N.J. – USDA Rural Development State Director Jane Asselta joined leaders from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Senator Cory Booker's office and the Borough of Woodbine to celebrate a $1 million grant for the cleanup of several contaminated sites in the area. The event was held at a Municipal Water Plant in the Borough and highlighted the transformative impact of this funding on the community.
“USDA Rural Development is proud to be counted among those represented this afternoon as a partner in providing critical financial resources for rural communities like the Borough of Woodbine,” said Asselta, who leads the New Jersey RD team that has invested more than $10 million in the Borough over the past decade among several projects, including environmental cleanup and community facilities. “Addressing environmental, infrastructure and economic revitalization challenges is at the core of our mission.”
Asselta was joined by EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, and Woodbine Mayor William Pikolycky who spoke on the significance of the grant, made possible by President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which allocates $1.5 billion to the Brownfields Program nation-wide.
“Woodbine’s commitment to revitalizing its community is an example for others to follow, and this EPA grant will play a crucial role in transforming contaminated sites into valuable community assets,” Garcia said. “The Brownfields Program grants, bolstered by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is a powerful tool for promoting environmental health, economic growth, and job creation throughout New Jersey.”
The $1 million grant will be used to clean up the site of the old Woodbine School at 808 Franklin Street and the former Hat Company site at 608 Dehirsh Avenue. Other priority sites include a former landfill that closed in 1984 and the Woodbine Municipal Airport. Cleaning up these sites will pave the way for future redevelopment and community use and contribute to Woodbine’s broader revitalization efforts.
“This $1 million grant from the EPA is a huge investment in Woodbine’s future that will improve public health, promote environmental justice, and open the door to new economic opportunities in the community,” said Senator Cory Booker. “Cleaning up these contaminated sites and transforming these brownfields into spaces that can once again serve local residents will revitalize this area. I’m proud to have helped pass the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and am grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for signing it into law so that we can continue to see communities like Woodbine receive the resources they need to thrive.”
“We have made it a priority in New Jersey to incentivize the redevelopment of dangerous, contaminated sites into safe, valuable community assets because we know these projects can completely transform overburdened communities,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Not only will this grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency create jobs and spur economic growth, but it will also reap environmental benefits that will be enjoyed by generations of Woodbine residents to come.”
“The cleanup of several sites across Woodbine, a historically overburdened community, will have a tremendous impact on the quality of life for residents by setting the stage for much needed community investments that improve public health, attract jobs and support Woodbine’s broader revitalization efforts,” said LaTourette. “On behalf of the Murphy Administration, NJDEP thanks the Biden-Harris Administration for their commitment to ensuring EPA’s Brownfields Program can continue to make transformational change and advance environmental justice.”
“As an overburdened and economically-distressed community, Woodbine is ill-equipped to address contamination at these Brownfields sites on its own, meaning outside resources such as this are critical to our ongoing efforts to improve the local environment and the quality of life for all residents," said Mayor Pikolycky, lauding the partnerships, federal support and funding for the community.
This grant is part of the EPA and USDA's ongoing efforts to support economically stressed communities in New Jersey and across the nation. The Brownfields Program provides essential resources to clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, attracting jobs, promoting economic revitalization, and creating sustainable, environmentally just neighborhoods.
USDA Rural Development funds projects in New Jersey under the leadership of its state office staff located in Mt. Laurel and is supported by offices located in Hackettstown, Columbus, and Vineland. For more information on programs, visit our state website or follow us on social media.
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