I
'O
UJ
I
Brownfields 2004
Grant Fact Sheet
Association of South
Central Oklahoma
Governments
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communi-
ties, and other stakeholders in economic development to
work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and
sustainably reuse brownfields. Abrownfield 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 contaminant. On
January 11,2002, the President 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
The Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments
(ASCOG) was selected to receive a brownfields assess-
ment grant and a revolving loan fund grant. ASCOG
represents eight counties in south central Oklahoma with an
aggregate population of 271,922. Member counties are
Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Jefferson, McClain,
Stephens, and Tillman Counties. The average unemploy-
ment rate for these counties is 5.7 percent, and the
poverty rate is 21.5 percent. Minorities comprise 16.6
percent of the population. Drought conditions for the last six
years have exacerbated the effects of a declining economy
in the area. There are 112 identified brownfields in the
region, of which 22 were identified as viable for redevelop-
ment during a previous brownfields inventory. The grants
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Association of South Central
Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
used to perform Phase I assessments at six sites and
Phase II assessments at 10 sites in the eight counties
represented by ASCOG. Funds will also be used for
cleanup planning and community outreach.
Revolving Loan Fund Grant
$1,000,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Association of South
Central Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) to
receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant.
Grant funds will be used to capitalize a revolving
loan fund from which ASCOG will provide loans
and subgrants for cleanup activities at multiple
sites in the eight counties represented by ASCOG.
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 6 Brownfields Team
214-665-2180
http://www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Association of South Central
Oklahoma Governments
580-252-0595
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
would allow completion of site assessment and reuse
planning activities, which are expected to attract new
industry, and ultimately, create jobs, improve the communi-
ties' appearance, and increase the local tax base that is key
to the survival of small rural communities. The sites will be
redeveloped for greenspace, recreational facilities, indus-
trial uses, community centers, and senior citizens' centers.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-04-022
June 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields
------- |