The City Council just greenlighted an app to the EPA for a Brownfields Assessment Grant, aiming to turn some gnarly no-go zones into prime property. We're talking cleanups and comebacks for the forsaken corners rimming U.S. 287/IH-30, IH-35W, East Berry Street, and IH-820, as per the City of Fort Worth.

This isn't just about making eyesores easy on the eyes again; it's about giving our neighborhoods a face-lift, scrubbing out the grime, and setting the stage for some slick developments. You ask, "What's a brownfield?" It's real estate that's been given the cold shoulder because it's got some sort of toxic baggage. Since '95, the EPA’s been dolling out funds to help cities buff up these blemished spots.

Fort Worth could revitalize areas that have been dust-collecting, crime-breeding nuisances for the longest time. The Fort Worth program is all about getting down and dirty with the science site assessments and making sure the cleanup's legit so everyone can breathe easily.

If the EPA nods the go-ahead and Fort Worth bags the grant, we're talking a maximum of $500,000 to make those brownfield blues disappear. These bucks are part of the big-hearted Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfield Revitalization Act—and, under the mighty CERCLA. The city could roll out the red carpet for private and public projects by doing environmental check-ups ahead of time.