Five former gas stations in Trumbull County will undergo environmental cleanup and demolition sooner than expected thanks to a new funding agreement.

The Trumbull County Land Bank and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency reached a deal to pay for the work. The Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, which manages the land bank, previously planned to apply for federal funds for these sites. However, the state agency decided to fund the projects directly to speed up the process.

State experts have already completed initial assessments at these locations. The studies helped officials understand the level of contamination at each site. The new funding will cover the remaining steps to remove hazardous materials and tear down old structures.

The sites scheduled for remediation and demolition include the Warren Township Gas Station at 2855 Tod Ave. SW and the former McQuaid’s Gas Station at 3624 Main St. in Mineral Ridge. The gas station at 165 E. Main St. in West Farmington and the gas station at 2904 Belmont Ave. in Liberty are also on the list. The final property is the gas station at 1426 Niles Rd. SE in Warren.

Gillian Costantino, the environmental programs coordinator for the partnership, said the sites have been a problem for local neighborhoods for a long time. She said the money will help turn the vacant lots into useful parts of the community again.

The Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership is a nonprofit group that works to improve the quality of life in Warren and the surrounding county.