The City of Green Bay's Brownfields Program assists in the redevelopment of sites that may contain environmental contamination. Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. The City’s Brownfields Program provides financial and technical assistance that advance the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfields.

Financial & Technical Assistance

Site Assessment

In 2019, the City was awarded $300,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct environmental site assessments on brownfield sites that are being considered for redevelopment, or sites that pose a potential threat to human health or the environment. Specifically, the City may conduct Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental site assessments, supplemental investigations, remedial action plans, or inspections for hazardous building materials like lead and asbestos. These assessment activities provide property owners and developers the opportunity to gain more information about a site's condition, which can directly affect decisions on property acquisition or cleanup strategy. For more information about site assessment assistance, please contact Matt Buchanan at matthew.buchanan@greenbaywi.gov or call 920.448.3396.

Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund

In 2020, the EPA awarded the City of Green Bay an $800,000 grant to establish the Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (BRLF) to provide loans and/or sub-grants for environmental cleanup activities. The program offers financing in the form of loans or sub-grants for environmental cleanup to qualifying entities on eligible sites. Applicants for environmental cleanup loans or sub-grants must provide a cost share (match) equal to or exceeding 20% of the loan or sub-grant amount. To learn more about the BRLF program, please download the materials linked below.

BRLF Policies and Procedures 

BRLF Pre-Application and Application Form

Brownfield Projects in Green Bay

Several successful brownfield redevelopment projects been realized in Green Bay with the assistance of EPA grants. These projects have collectively  leveraged over $165 million in private investment.

One of the City’s most compelling examples is the redevelopment of the former Washington Commons Mall into the international headquarters for Schreiber Foods. This site was assessed using $148,805 in EPA funds followed by $2.3 million in local TIF funding to clear and prepare the site for redevelopment. In the fall of 2014, Schreiber Foods completed the construction of an $85 million, 260,000-square foot building on the site which is now home to over 600 employees. Visit the EPA Cleanups in My Communities webpage to learn more about specific sites in Green Bay that have utilized City and EPA Brownfields resources.

Public Participation Opportunities

The City of Green Bay Economic Development Authority (EDA) serves as the City’s Brownfields Advisory Committee (BAC), and provides guidance for the implementation of EPA Brownfields Grant funds. The EDA/BAC holds monthly public meetings where brownfield activities are regularly reported by staff, public input is sought, and direction is provided by the EDA/BAC. To participate in upcoming meetings, or to view minutes and videos of past meetings, please visit the City's Meetings Page and search for upcoming or past Economic Development Authority meetings.