Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) recently awarded a $20,000 grant to Wilson County as part of the Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grants (BRAG) program. The funds will be used in partnership with the Greater Nashville Regional Council to identify and prioritize sites in need of redevelopment.
This grant is one of 36 brownfield redevelopment awards announced statewide in July. The BRAG program, which is funded by the Rural Brownfield Redevelopment Investment Act, is designed to assist local governments and development boards with the resources necessary to investigate, clean up, and revitalize blighted properties.
Brownfields, which are vacant or underutilized properties with potential contamination, pose significant environmental and public health risks. Through remediation efforts, these sites can be restored, helping to eliminate threats to communities and the environment while simultaneously spurring economic investment in the region.
The Greater Nashville Regional Council, a planning and economic development organization formed by the Tennessee General Assembly, will assist Wilson County in evaluating which properties are most suitable for redevelopment. The council serves 13 counties across Middle Tennessee, working to promote regional growth and development.
Wilson County’s receipt of the grant marks a step forward in efforts to revitalize underused properties, enhance public health, and foster new economic opportunities in the area.