The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $1.1 million in cleanup funds for several brownfield sites in Los Angeles County, including a former railyard next to the Los Angeles River northeast of downtown.

The city of Los Angeles will receive $500,000 to help clean up the Taylor Yard River Park site, which served as a railyard in the 1930s. The funds will go towards a portion of the 42-acre parcel that’s contaminated with metals, arsenic and various volatile organic compounds. As part of the redevelopment of the site into green space, solar-powered LED lighting will be installed along trails and in parking areas.

The remaining $600,000 will be awarded to the National Council for Community Development to identify, assess and plan other brownfield site cleanup in underserved neighborhoods of L.A. County, including the Berk Oil site in Bell Gardens and a vacant lot in Compton.

The $1.1 million in cleanup grants to Los Angeles County were part of a nationwide brownfield cleanup initiative totaling $46 million and targeting 149 communities.

Education, energy, engineering/construction and infrastructure reporter Howard Fine can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @howardafine.