FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 31, 2024
Contact: Jodie Thistle, DNR Brownfields, Outreach and Policy Section Manager
[email protected] or 608-259-6557

DNR Awards Brownfield Grant To
Village Of Campbellsport

Funds Will Support Assessment Of Contamination

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the DNR awarded brownfield assessment services to the village of Campbellsport to assist with the investigation of environmental contamination at the site of a former self-service gas station.

The award is from the DNR's Wisconsin Assessment Monies program, which provides contractor services for the environmental assessment of eligible brownfield sites. A brownfield is a property where real or potential contamination complicates expansion, redevelopment or reuse. Brownfields vary in size, location, age and past use.

The award will support the assessment of environmental conditions at the 0.47-acre property where soil contamination was found during the removal of the gas station’s underground storage tanks in 2018. The property was transferred to the village from Fond du Lac County and is currently vacant. This new award will help determine the degree and extent of contamination on the property. The village seeks redevelopment of the property and information gathered through the assessment is necessary to move forward with the project.  

“The government officials of the village of Campbellsport recognize the potential for redevelopment of the site to bring it back to productive use,” said Jodie Thistle, DNR Brownfields, Outreach and Policy Section Manager. “The DNR is glad to provide this award to the village to build upon earlier assessment work completed in 2022.”

Since 2009, the DNR's Wisconsin Assessment Monies program has provided over $3.3 million in services and grant funds to over 70 communities across Wisconsin, partnering to help clean up and redevelop often run-down or underused properties that detract from a community's potential. Because there is no local financial match required, these grants present an attractive opportunity for communities to learn about environmental conditions. Applications for assistance may be submitted to the DNR at any time.

Interested in learning how brownfield cleanup can help communities? The DNR’s series of on-demand Brownfields Fundamentals webinars cover planning, cleanup, liability and other topics as part of a well-rounded crash course in Wisconsin brownfield redevelopment.

The DNR offers a wide range of financial and liability tools to help local governments, businesses, lenders and others clean up and redevelop brownfields in Wisconsin. These include Ready for Reuse financial awards, which may be used for environmental cleanup. DNR staff around the state are available to meet with community leaders, bankers, developers and individuals to discuss brownfield projects through Green Team meetings.

More information about the DNR’s brownfield cleanup programs and services is available on the DNR’s brownfields webpage.