United States	Office of	Publication: EPA 500-F-86-C06
Environmental Protection Solid Waste and
Agency	Emergency Response June
*»EF¥\ Brownfields Pilot -
Richmond, CA
Office of Outreach and 9psclal Projects (5101)	Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative i3 designed to empower States, communities, and
other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely
clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof; that has actual or
perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA plans to fund over fifty
Brownfields Pilots in 1995 and 1996, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and
demonstrations of brownfields solutions. ThePilots are intended toprovideEPA,States,Tribes,municipalities,
and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote
a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
OVERVIEW
EPA has selected the City of Richmond for a
Brownfields Pilot. The proposed project area is the
900-acre North Richmond Shoreline, which contains
a variety of brownfields in a relatively compact area.
Aging heavy industry, low-income housing, idle and
vacant properties, and waste disposal facilities are
concentrated in an area that borders a distressed
neighborhood and an estuarine ecosystem known to
support two endangered species. At least 36
properties (90 percent of the ay's developable area)
are contaminated with volatile organic compounds,
polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals. The sector
has a mix of thriving large businesses and struggling
smaller ones. The presence of hazardous materials
on the latter's property, combined with their shaky
financial condition, has stymied growth in that sector.
OBJECTIVES
The ultimate goals of Richmond's brownfields effort
axe to stimulate economic growth and improve public
health and the environmental quality of the Bay. The
project will build on intensive planning and
cooperative partnerships that have evolved over the
last five years. Richmond has included a green
componentin theirplanning. This will providepublic
recreation, open the shoreline for public vise, and
establish zoning standards to limit industrial activ-
ities that may endanger human health and the
environment. Richmond plans to increase public
awareness of contaminated sites and involve the
community in remedial planning and marketing
activities.
ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this pilot include:
•	Completing preliminary site assessments
of two to five siteB within the North
Richmond Shoreline;
•	Developing financing mechanisms specifi-
cally to promote the city's brownfields
process;
•	Clarifying jurisdictional authorities to
promote coordination among the city,
county, and state;
•	Streamlining the regulatory process
through cooperative partnerships of the
state and federal authorities;
« Implementing community education and
outreach programs to promote full stake-
holder participation; and

-------
The cooperative agreement for this pilot has not yet
been negotiated; therefore, activities described in
this fact sheet are subject to change.
CONTACTS
Jim Hanson
U.S. EPA - Region 9
(415) 744-2237
Nancy Kaufman
Planning Department
(510) 620-6706
SERA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency (5202 G)
Washington. DC 20460
Official Susiness
Penalty for Private Use
$300

-------