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Brownfields 2003
Grant Fact Sheet
Development Downtown,
Inc., Buffalo, NY
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up,
and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is
real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of
which may be complicated by the presence or potential
presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or con-
taminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W.
Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief
and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the
Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to
eligible applicants through four competitive grant
programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants,
cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally,
funding support is provided to state and tribal response
programs through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
Development Downtown, Inc. was selected to receive
a brownfields cleanup grant. Development Downtown,
Inc. is a quasi-governmental entity under the supervi-
sion of the City of Buffalo. Historically, Buffalo
(population 292,648) has been upstate New York's
primary manufacturing and industrial center, due in part
to its strategic location on Lake Erie. The closing of
numerous industrial facilities along Buffalo's water-
ways and canals has contributed to urban blight and
disinvestment in areas with high redevelopment
potential. Buffalo is among the poorest of the 100
largest U.S. cities in terms of household income,
unemployment, and percentage of people on public
assistance. The city has a poverty rate of nearly 27
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected Development Downtown, Inc.
for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will
be used to conduct petroleum cleanup activities at
Parcel 2 of the Union Ship Canal property, which
is part of a larger mixed-use redevelopment
project that will stimulate economic development
in the City of Buffalo. An assessment of Parcel 2
found 1,388 cubic yards of petroleum-contami-
nated soils on the site.
Contacts
For further information, including specific grant
contacts, additional grant information, brownfields
news and events, and publications and links, visit
the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/
brownfields.
EPA Region 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4314
http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/
brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Development Downtown, Inc.,
NY
716-856-6525
Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, Development
Downtown, Inc. has not received brownfields grant funding.
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been
negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are
subject to change.
percent and an unemployment rate of almost 13
percent. Fifteen percent of the total land area in the
city is vacant. Parcel 2 of the Union Ship Canal
property was used primarily for iron production and
included furnaces and numerous buildings. Once
cleaned up, the parcel will be incorporated into the
Union Ship Canal Redevelopment project, which is
expected to dramatically stimulate economic develop-
ment in the City of Buffalo.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 500-F-03-084
June 2003
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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