United States
                   Environmental
                   Protection Agency
                   Washington, D.C. 20460
 Solid Waste
 and Emergency
 Response (5101)
                 EPA 500-F-00-119
                 May 2000
                 www.epa.gov/brownfields/
  \>EPA  Brownfields Assessment
                   Demonstration  Pilot
                                                               Signal Hill, CA
 Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
                   Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is  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 is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training
pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected
by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental
field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds
to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, 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.
BACKGROUND

EPA has selected the  City of Signal  Hill for  a
Brownfields Pilot. Signal Hill was also selected to
receive  additional funding for assessments at
Brownfields properties to be used for greenspace
purposes. Signal Hill, in southern California, has a
population of 9,13 3, with 40 percent being minorities.
Approximately 60 percent of the city's 1,408 acres
contains properties  with real or perceived
contamination that has resulted from various industrial
uses. In addressing its brownfields, the city wouldlike
to build on the enthusiasm surrounding the proposed
Long Beach Sports Park, which is slated to be built
near the center of Signal Hill and is a result of the City
of Long Beach's Brownfields Pilot.  Widespread
public support for the sports park has raised interest
in revitalizing the economy and redeveloping the
brownfield properties in Signal Hill.

OBJECTIVES

The city plans to target at least five high-priority sites
to serve  as models for redevelopment. One of the
candidate sites is a 41-acre area that is adjacent to the
site of the proposed sports park. This area consists of
a number of separate parcels that share a history
similar to that of the sports park location—multiple
PILOT SNAPSHOT  Date of Announcement:
                   May 2000
                  Amount: $200,000
                  Greenspace: $50,000

                  Profile:  The Signal Hill Pilot will
                  inventory 840 acres of potential
                  brownfield properties and select at
                  least five high-priority sites for
                  assessment and cleanup and
                  redevelopment planning. Inaddition,
                  the Pilot will use greenspace funding
                  to select up to five sites for
                  assessmentand planning.
Signal Hill, CA
 Contacts:
 Department of Economic
 Redevelopmentand Housing
 (562)989-7375
                  Regional Brownfields Team
                  U.S. EPA-Region 9
                  (415)744-2237
     Visit the EPA Region 9 Brownfields web site at:
  http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/index.html

   Forfurther information, including specific Pilot contacts,
 additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and
 publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
         http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/


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industrial uses that have left a strong potential for
materials co-mingled with petroleum hydrocarbons
and  debris.   The Pilot  will  inventory  the  city's
brownfields, select at least five high-priority sites, and
conduct  Phase I  and Phase II site assessments at
targeted sites. One of the city's goals for the Pilot is
to coordinate involvement  of property owners,
residents, city planners,  and other stakeholders in
creating a redevelopment plan.

The  city's master plan includes expanding  its
greenspace from 22.5 acres to 45 acres, which will
include parks, playgrounds, trails, gardens, habitat
restoration, and greenspace preservation. Pilotfunding
will be used for assessment, restoration planning, and
community outreach.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:

• Developing an inventory of potential sites and ranking
  them in order of priority;

• Identifying  at least five high-priority sites on the
  basis of stakeholder support, qualification for Pilot
  funding, and potential for redevelopment;

• Conducting Phase I and Phase II assessments  on
  the selected sites;

• Creating a community and business interaction plan
  to encourage participation in all phases of the Pilot
  program, including conducting public seminars and
  workshops; and

• Identifying  a maximum of five sites for possible
  greenspace  restoration.

The cooperative agreementforthis Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subjectto change.
 Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot                                                    Signal Hill, CA
 May2000                                                                          EPA 500-F-OO-119

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