A federal grant will help Dubuque clean up and revitalize its downtown district. This week, the U.S. EPA awarded the city an 800,000 dollar Brownfields grant.
Teri Hawks Goodman, Assistant City Manager, says this isn't the first time Dubuque has received such a grant, in fact it's the eighth in 17 years.
"Our very first Brownfields grant was received in 2002, for $200,000 at the Port of Dubuque. Those investments now equal nearly $600 million dollars."
That grant led to the construction of a casino, waterpark, hotel, conference center, and the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.
Goodman says that the city of Dubuque applies for Brownfields grants whenever possible because they help to fund revitalization projects.
"It enables the community to have the flexibility to assess multiple properties, to clean up some properties, and to catalyze these properties into revenue generating income for the taxpayers in our community. We could put properties back into service, which is the goal for all abandoned properties."
Dubuque is one of 149 U.S. communities that will receive a Brownfields grant this year.
