Former Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida Wins 2019 Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Award

JACKSONVILLE, Florida, July 12 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:

Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented its second annual "National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse" award to the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida in recognition of exemplary work transforming the Superfund site into a successful commercial and industrial space.

"Expediting the cleanup and redevelopment of Superfund sites, including those owned by the federal government, is a top priority of the Trump Administration," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "These awards highlight the successes we have achieved through working cooperatively with our federal, state, and local partners to restore properties in a manner that protects public health and serves as a catalyst for economic growth and community revitalization."

"EPA is honored to present the National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Award to the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field," said EPA Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. "This project is a successful demonstration of how public-private partnerships can convert contaminated sites into community assets that will attract jobs, encourage partnerships and achieve broader economic development outcomes."

The 17,225-acre former Navy air station now hosts the Cecil Airport, which serves corporate aircraft, general aviation, air cargo, and National Guard and Reserve aviation operations, as well as the City of Jacksonville's Cecil Commerce Center, which is home to more than 31 million square feet of commercial and industrial space. Cecil Airport and the Cecil Commerce Center have had significant impact on job creation and economic development in the Jacksonville area. Today, more than 6,225 people are employed at both Cecil Airport and facilities in the Cecil Commerce Center.

The award, which EPA is giving to four federal sites nationwide, recognizes the innovative thinking and cooperation among federal agencies, states, tribes, local partners, and developers that have led to noteworthy restoration and reuse of federal facility sites under the Superfund program. The Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Awards cover four categories of federal facilities: (1) National Priorities List (NPL) sites, (2) NPL Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) sites, (3) non-NPL BRAC sites, and (4) non-NPL sites.

Background:

EPA has ongoing cleanup and property transfer responsibilities at 174 federal facility NPL sites across the country, which are some of the largest and most complex sites within the Superfund program. The Trump Administration has made the Superfund program a top priority to advance the agency's core mission of protecting human health and the environment. EPA's Superfund Task Force is working to promote redevelopment and reuse of sites by encouraging investment in reuse outcomes. The federal facility sites receiving reuse awards serve as examples of the types of site investment that can occur at sites owned by federal agencies.

For more information about these award winners, please visit https://www.epa.gov/fedfac/2019-national-federal-facility-excellence-site-reuse-awards

For more information about cleanups at federal facilities, please visit www.epa.gov/fedfac

For more information about the Superfund Task Force, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-task-force