A new batch of money from the federal Environmental Protection Agency will propel efforts to find and remove hazardous materials from sites around Berkshire County.
The EPA this week awarded $1.1 million to four brownfield projects in the county, three overseen by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and one handled by the community of Williamstown.
The awards will bring to the county one-fifth of all new EPA money allotted to Massachusetts to address pollution legacies that impede economic development and pose threats to public health and environmental quality.
“If my math is correct, we are receiving around 2 percent of the total available nationally, both in amount and number,” said Nathaniel Karns, executive director of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
Statewide, the EPA awarded $4.92 million for 17 brownfield projects; the total nationwide was $56.8 million for 172 projects. Read more about EPA monies for brownfield work >>