United States
                   Environmental
                   Protection Agency
                   Washington, D.C.  20460
 Solid Waste
 and Emergency
 Response (5101)
 EPA 500-F-00-122
 May 2000
 www.epa.gov/brownfields/
  \>EPA  Brownfields  Assessment
                   Demonstration  Pilot
                                                             St. Joseph,  MO
 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 St.  Joseph  for a
Brownfields Pilot. St. Joseph (population 71,852) was
founded along the Missouri River, and the city grew as
a maj or crossing point along the river. During the late
1800s and into the twentieth century, the city' s growing
economy was based on the meat-packing industry and
the railroad. However, during the 1970s and into the
1990s, the economy began to decline as industries in the
urban core closed or moved to the east side of town.
Abandoned buildings and vacant lots now blight the
Pilot area (population 1,076) known as the Riverfront
Industrial Redevelopment Area, and  investment is
inhibited by perceived environmental contamination.
One site of particular concern in the  Pilot area is a
seven-acre scrap metal business. Its proximity to the
river and the perceived contamination beneath the
scrap metal cause environmental concern. Additionally,
the site's location, in full view from the elevated
interstate that runs along the west side of the
redevelopment area, contributes to the blighted look of
the Pilot area. There is also concern for the residents
of neighboring Patee Town, which is  on the eastern
border of the redevelopment area. The people of Patee
Town, 56.8 percent of whom have low to moderate
incomes, would benefit from economic revitalization
of the area.
PILOT SNAPSHOT
  St. Joseph, MO
Date of Announcement:
May 2000

Amount: $200,000

Profile: The Pilot targets 244
acresalongthe Missouri River
just south of downtown St.
Joseph for environmental
assessment and cleanup and
redevelopment planning.
 Contacts:
 City of St. Joseph
 (816)271-4610
Regional Brown fields Team
U.S. EPA-Region 7
(913)551-7786
     Visit the EPA Region 7 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/region07/specinit/brown/brownfields.htm

   For further 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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OBJECTIVES

The  Pilot  area—the  Riverfront  Industrial
Redevelopment Area—comprises approximately 244
acres along the Missouri River, just south of the city's
downtown. The city's ultimate goal for the area is to
attract new investment and, thereby, create new jobs,
remove blight, raise property values, and foster
economic vitality. The city lostpotential redevelopment
projects in the  Pilot area due to the perceived
contamination  and the lack  of an economic
redevelopment strategy. To help achieve the city's
redevelopment goals, the Pilot will work to  remove
the environmental uncertainty in the area through
environmental assessments of brownfields; develop
cleanup  plans  for  sites where  environmental
contamination is confirmed; and create a community-
based economic redevelopment strategy forthe area.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:

• Conducting environmental  site assessments at
 brownfields;

• Developing cleanup  plans  for sites  where
 contamination is confirmed;

• Creating an economic redevelopment strategy for
 the Riverfront Industrial Redevelopment Area;

• Coordinating and administrating public outreach
 activities; and

• Involving the community in educational meetings
 regarding Pilot activities.

The cooperative agreementforthis Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
 Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot                                                 St. Joseph, MO
 May2000                                                                        EPA 500-F-00-122

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