The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen has set a Nov. 3 community meeting at the Robert M. Walker Building, 1415 Walnut St., to hear comments from residents concerning a proposed Brownfield Grant application to clean the U.S. Rubber Reclaiming facility at 2000 Rubber Way.

Brownfield Grant funds involve money from the Environmental Protection Agency to allow local, county and state governments to assess, clean up and reuse brownfields — property affected by hazardous materials.

The 5 p.m. hearing on Nov. 3 is part of the grant requirements. The city has not specified an amount, nor has it specified for what the site will be used. The grant sought by the city does not require matching funds so the city will not have to pay extra money for the project if it gets the grant.

The 12.5-acre property was formerly the site of a large-scale rubber recycling operation, and Community Development Director Jeff Richardson said there is still a large amount of scrap rubber on the property.

The property at one point was put up for tax sale but never claimed, and was later acquired by the Mississippi Secretary of State, which gave it to the city in 2019. City officials at one point in early 2020 considered it as a possible site for the animal shelter but rejected it because it was unsuitable and in a flood zone.