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Brownfields Grant Money Sent To Antigo, Langlade County

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Two brownfields cleanup projects in Antigo are getting financial assistance from the Department of Natural Resources.

The grants come from the Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program, provides contractor services worth up to $35,000 for eligible sites. The DNR awarded the grants to the city of Antigo and Langlade County for two neighboring sites near the intersection of Edison Street and 1st Avenue.

Jodie Peotter is DNR Brownfields, Outreach & Policy Section Chief. She says the city and Langlade county approached the DNR about the project...

"They had some previous environmental work done on the two parcels which are separated by First Avenue. They were asking for some additional assistance to characterize the environmental contamination at the site..."

The properties were owned at one time by the railroad. Peotter says historical use by a railroad can result in residual contamination...

"In this case they had done some initial testing and had confirmed there was some contamination at both of the sites. They applied for a WAM(Wisconsin Assessment Monies) award asking us to help further characterize the contamination. We hire a contractor to go out to the site and take more samples to help them understand the degree and extent of contamination..."

Peotter says they do know there is some metals contamination on the sites. The southern property, located at 915 1st Avenue, is occupied by a vacant building that was formerly Care Partners Assisted Living. The vacant building is being considered for future use as a sober living facility for women. The second property that will receive a grant is located across 1st Avenue to the north at 1020 Edison Street. Redevelopment is anticipated to include a similar sober living facility for men.

Since 2009, the Wisconsin Assessment Monies program has provided more than $2.5 million to 61 communities across the state, partnering to help clean up and redevelop old, often run-down or underused properties.

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