Magic Valley Economic Group Given Federal Revitalization Grant

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX)-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded several hundred thousand dollars to a Magic Valley economic development group to help revitalize contaminated and abandoned properties. Region IV Development Association (RIVDA) announced it has received a grant of $300,000 from the EPA Brownfield Revitalization Program. The Brownfield program provides funds to help underserved and economically disadvantaged communities in the U.S. clean up industrial and commercial properties. According to the EPA, a total of 66.5 million has been given out to communities across the country. “It is exciting to be awarded these federal dollars and help improve our communities by making properties more desirable. This is the first step in cleaning up blighted properties and creating new opportunities for the region,” said RIVDA President Jeff McCurdy in a prepared statement. RIVDA will create a Brownfield Committee that will look at possible properties for possible redevelopment with the grant. The funds will go towards properties in Blaine, Camas, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties.