Brownfields are real property, the expansion, development or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 awarded the City of Keokuk a Cooperative Agreement totaling $1,996,900 under the Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.818), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2029. Funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), this award supports comprehensive remediation activities at the Elkem Carbide Southern Parcel Site, a 16.37-acre brownfield property located in Keokuk, Iowa.

The City of Keokuk will deliver environmental remediation services including excavation and removal of contaminated surface soils (meshed coal, coal slag, carbonite, petroleum coke, and coal pitch tar), hazardous material disposal, asbestos abatement within structures, and site restoration to appropriate reuse conditions. Additionally, the City will oversee planning and assessment activities, competitively procure qualified environmental professionals, establish a community involvement plan and administrative record, and submit progress reports through the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES). The City has designated SERIPC as a sub-awardee to provide cooperative agreement oversight, community engagement, and cleanup planning activities. These combined efforts will enhance the City's capacity to remediate brownfield sites and facilitate property redevelopment within the targeted area.

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to city of keokuk. The recipient will conduct remediation activities as authorized by cerlca 104(K)(3) in elkem carbide southern parcel site, in keokuk, iowa. The purpose of this award is to enhance the capacity of the city of keokuk to meet the section 104 (K) elements. The city of keokuk will oversee and perform planning, assessment, remediation of brownfields sites within the targeted area. Activities:specifically, this agreement will provide funding to the city of keokuk to clean up a brownfield site. Additionally, the recipient will competitively procure and direct a qualified environmental professional to conduct environmental site activities, will create a community involvement plan and administrative record for the site(S), and will report on interim progress and final accomplishments by completing and submitting relevant portions of the property profile form using EPA's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (ACRES). The city of keokuk will excavate surface soils contaminants (consisting of: meshed coal, coal slag, carbonite, petroleum coke, and coal pitch TAR); dispose of hazardous material; abate asbestos within structures; and bring property to appropriate reuse condition. This cleanup grant funding will be used to cover the cleanup costs of 16.37 ACRES of the southern parcel, (associated with the centermost parcel of the original elkem facility). This parcel is owned by the city of keokuk, IA and is situated immediately south of auditor's parcel of the elkem facility. Subrecipient:the city of keokuk will issue sub-award with seripc for the cooperative agreement oversight and community engagement and cleanup planning activities. Seripc is responsible for grant oversight support including ACRES reporting, preparation of quarterly reports, preparation of SF-425 forms, coordination between the city, the selected environmental consultants, and the brownfields advisory committee.outcomes:further, the recipient will remediate one brownfield site and anticipates holding community meetings, finalizing an analysis of brownfield cleanup alternatives, and submitting quarterly reports. Work conducted under this agreement will benefit the residents, business owners, and stakeholders in and near elkem carbide southern parcel site in keokuk, iowa. The recipient will enroll the site within the iowa land recycling program; conduct abatement of of asbestos containing building material; and lead based paint and other hazardous wastes; remove contaminated soil; prepare copies of hazardous waste manifests; prepare a remediation close-out report; compile analytical data from soil samples; prepare an abatement clearance report; and prepare a community involvement plan. Further, the recipient will remediate a brownfield site and anticipates holding two community meetings, finalizing an analysis of brownfield cleanup alternatives, and submitting 16 quarterly reports. Work conducted under this agreement will benefit the residents, business owners, and stakeholders in and near the former elkem-carbide facility in keokuk, iowa.