United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-00-120
May 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
\>EPA Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
Silver City, NM
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 Silver City for a Brownfields Pilot.
Silver City was also selected to receive additional
funding for assessments at Brownfields properties to
be used for greenspace purposes. Silver City
(population 12,064), which is situated on the east slope
of the Continental Divide in southwestern New Mexico,
was established in 1870 when silver was found in the
area. In contrast to other mining communities which
eventually became ghosttowns, Silver City continued
to thrive by expanding its economy to include copper
mining, cattle ranching, and lumbermilling. In 1983,
Western New Mexico University was established in
the town. Today, the town is marked by an active
tourism industry, avibrantarts community, an annual
bicycle race, rodeos, conferences, music festivals,
and agrowing retiree and "telecommuter" community.
Cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields in and
near the town's historic district would help retain and
expand downtown businesses.
The town proposes four initial brownfields for the
Pilotproject, including Beacon Hill, a 462-acre parcel
that was one of the first areas to be mined near Silver
City and is now proposed for open space, trails, and
other recreational uses; the old town landfill, a 50-
acre closed and capped landfill adjacent to the city
golf course; and two mill sites.
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
May 2000
Amount: $200,000
Greenspace: $50,000
Profile: Silver City targets
four sites with plans to create
openspace and greenspace at
Beacon Hill.
Silver City, NM
Contacts:
Silver City
(505)538-3731
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA-Region 6
(214)665-6736
Visit the EPA Region 6 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6sf/bfpages/sfbfhome.htm
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields newsand events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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OBJECTIVES
Silver City' s overarching aim is to stimulate investment
in the community and promote a future based on
economically sustainable development and adequate
environmental health. The town seeks to promote
brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, preservation
of open space, and increased recreational and
economic opportunities that are compatible with the
town's western small-town atmosphere and rich
cultural heritage. Silver City plans to preserve open
areas (through the identification of trail corridors and
other activities), improve air quality, promote
groundwater recharge, preserve distinctive view and
natural features, buffer neighborhoods, and provide a
contrast to urban development.
The Pilot will integrate planning activities for Boston
Hill with greenspace planning for other target sites,
such as additional ballfields at the Old Landfill and a
trail/riparian corridor along San Vicente Arroyo and
Pinos Altos Creek to include the Mill Sites and a
landfill borrow pit.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Conducting environmental assessments, including
soil sampling, surface andgroundwatermonitoring,
and research on historical uses of the four sites;
• Conducting engineering studies and cleanup designs,
including cost estimates;
• Developing site-specific reuse plans;
• Ensuring community involvement with the targeted
sites; and
• Performing mapping and surveying activities,
environmental assessments, and greenspace planning
activities at Boston Hill.
The cooperative agreementforthis Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Silver City, NM
May2000 EPA 500-F-00-120
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