The Top of Alabama Regional Council of Government is set to determine what it will take to transform areas with potential environmental concerns — in Athens, Fort Payne and Gurley — thanks to a $1.5 million Federal Brownfield Assessment Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Lee Terry, the economic development and planning director, said the funding will be used to inventory, conduct environmental assessments, develop 15 cleanup plans and three revitalization plans, and support community engagement activities in each of the communities for input on redevelopment potential throughout the next four years.

Michelle Jordan, executive director, said she was proud of the TARCOG team that landed the grant and excited for what the funding will mean for Athens and Limestone County, as well as Gurley and Fort Payne.

“This will be the starting point for positive changes in each of these areas,” Jordan said.

Assessment activities will focus on the:

— Easy Street Corridor in the Athens’ downtown district.

— Gault Avenue Corridor in Fort Payne.

— Walker Street Corridor in Gurley.

EPA’s Brownfields Program has been used to empower states, communities and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse brownfield sites.

A brownfield site is real property that the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence, or potential presence, of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.

The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 — as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018 — was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites.

Under this law, the EPA provided financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: Multipurpose Grants, Assessment Grants, Revolving Loan Fund Grants, Cleanup Grants and Job Training Grants.

The EPA has selected TARCOG to lead a $1.5 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant with coalition members from the cities of Athens and Fort Payne, and the Singing River Trail.

The Athens portion of the money will focus on the proposed Easy Street Art Trail in downtown Athens.

“This is fantastic news,” Mayor Ronnie Marks told The News Courier. “This is a great project that we have already been working on, so this is just great to hear.”

The proposed trail location will run along the railroad tracks from the vacant freight depot and Alabama Veterans Museum, south to Hendricks-Patton and west to Old Black Bear.

One of TARCOG’s priority sites on the trail is the vacant Limestone County-owned L&N Freight Depot.

“Athens is extremely excited about (the) Easy Street Art Trail and how it can honor our history, promote the arts, enhance an unattractive area and improve walkability downtown,” Marks said. “This is history we need to preserve — or we will lose it.”

While the grant will address different phases of the project, long term plans the city has for the site includes creating a trail that will pay homage to the history of Easy Street, which ran along the railroad tracks between Hobbs and Market streets.

According to history provided in 2002 by James Croley, which was published in a booklet, Easy Street was the black-owned business area and included Bell Café, Simmons and Grigsby Barbershop, Coble Barbershop, Higgins Café and Dr. B.F. Hill’s veterinary office.

“Easy Street is a big part of our history that we need to reestablish, and I’m excited to know that there are funds available to help in that process,” Marks said.