The Community Development program of the Economic and Community Development Department seeks to improve the quality of life for residents in our tri-County region. Cascades West has a professional staff to assist communities, especially smaller communities, with specialized tasks for which they do not have in-house expertise.
In 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected 7 Oregon projects to receive brownfields funding to expedite the assessment and cleanup of multiple brownfield sites in the state. Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments is the recipient of $1 million in brownfield funds to support a variety of projects in Linn and Benton Counties. These brownfield funds will support 20 Phase 1 and 11 Phase 2 environmental assessments, four clean-up plans, four site reuse plans, the development of a Public Involvement Plan, and a variety of community engagement activities.
