HI
                            C3
  Brownfields  2004

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

            Akron,  OH




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. 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 pro-
grams through a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The City of Akron was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Of the 217,074 residents
living in Akron, 17.5 percent live below the poverty
level, and minorities exceed 30 percent of the popula-
tion.  Since 1970, Akron has experienced the loss of
over 34,000 rubber-manufacturing jobs and additional
layoffs in remaining plants. The blight of vacant
industrial and commercial properties and gas stations
throughout the city has contributed to disinvestment
and job losses. With 24 percent of Akron's workforce
in manufacturing and an unemployment rate of 7.6
percent, the city needs to offer developable land to
keep and attract industrial investment and provide
residential, retail, artisan, and recreational opportunities
   Assessment Grant
   $200,000 for petroleum

   EPA has selected the City of Akron for a
   brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum grant
   funds will be used to perform Phase I and Phase
   II site assessments, community involvement, and
   quality assurance and remedial action planning on
   petroleum contaminated sites in the Canal Corri-
   dor, Middlebury-University Area, and other
   industrial and commercial sites throughout the
   city. These areas contain century-old manufactur-
   ing and automotive-related industries, a dump site,
   railroads, and residences.
   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 5 Brownfields Team
   312-886-7576
   http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

   Grant Recipient: Akron, OH
   330-375-2770

   The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
   yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
   in this fact sheet are subject to change.
along the canal. Investors are seeking investment
opportunities in the canal and downtown areas, but fear
potential contamination. Assessment and cleanup of the
brownfields properties will allay these fears and help
the city move forward with redevelopment.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA560-F-04-102
                         June 2004
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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