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9/5/2025
North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) has awarded its inaugural Brownfields Site Grants to help local governments address environmental barriers to developing rail-served properties.
NCRR announced yesterday it awarded a $99,800 grant to the town of Spencer in Rowan County and a $92,000 grant to Jackson County.
Brownfields are sites with environmental concerns that bar redevelopment. NCRR's grant program will help communities take steps toward entry into the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Brownfields Program, which will enable the government to partner with prospective developers to redevelop Brownfields, NCRR officials said in a press release.
The town of Spencer will use its funding to transform the former site of a textile dyeing and finishing facility into a rail-accessible industrial site. A 20% match was provided by Samet Corp., a development company.
Jackson County will use its funding to assess a 43-acre former sawmill site in Sylva which closed in early 2024. The county will provide a 20% match.
"With NCRR’s support, we are preparing the site for industry, rail access, and workforce training. These investments will create good jobs and long-term prosperity for families across Western North Carolina," said Kevin King, Jackson County manager.
NCRR requires that grant recipients enter the state's brownfields program, utilize the grant funding within two years of the award, and secure a company on the redeveloped property that will move at least 40 rail cars annually for five years, NCRR officials said.