United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-97-020 May 1997 xvEPA National Assessment Pilot Lima, OH Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101) 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. Between 1995 and 1996, EPA funded 76 National and Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of brownfields solutions. EPAis funding morethan 27 Pilots in 1997. The Pilots 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 selected the City of Lima for a Brownfields Pilot. The project area includes an abandoned industrial site that is part of a planned 200-acre industrial park. Liinahas been hard-hit by industrial closings and defense-downsizing in the 1970s and 1980s, employment in the industrial park has decreased from 8,800 to 550. Other brownfields impacts include a loss of supportive services to nearby residences, systematic institutional disinvestment (lenders, small businesses), increases in vacancy rates, and increased crime. OBJECTIVES Lima's brownfields effort is aimed at transforming the industrial park into a thriving, modernized industrial community that will provide new job potential. The focus of the Pilot is on the former Lima Locomotive works, an abandoned 65-acre industrial facility. The City views successful redevelopment of this site as key to their broader redevelopment efforts. PILOT SNAPSHOT Lima, Ohio Date of Award: September 1996 Amount: $200,000 Site Profile: The Pilot targets the Lima Locomotive works, an abandoned 65-acre industrial facility. The abandoned facility is part of a planned 200-acre industrial park. Contacts: Gary Sheely Lima Utilities Department (419)228-5462 Andy Warren U.S. EPA-Region 5 (312)353-5485 warren.andrew@ epamail.epa.gov Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES The Pilot is: Conducting Phase I site assessments and planning at the former Lima Locomotive facility; Conducting a brownfields blight survey within the City to identify other potential properties for redevelopment; Implementing outreach activities in the community to provide information on site assessment and gain community input on planning for the industrial park; Establishing an independent management board, including community representatives to oversee industrial park revitalization; and Crafting legal agreements delineating partnership terms and financial arrangements for the assessment, remediation, and development of the industrial park. LEVERAGING OTHER ACTIVITIES Experience with the Lima Pilot has been a catalyst for related activities including the following. Working with a local university to study the effectiveness of phyto-remediation, the use of trees and shrubs to reduce concentrations of contaminants in soil. Working with the Governor's Economic Development Office to enhance job creation with tax incentives. Working with Ohio State agencies that offer economic development assistance to municipalities engaged in redevelopment activities. Requiring industrial park lease terms to encourage the hiring of local residents. Negotiation of an agreementwith the facility property owner for entry of the facility into the Ohio voluntary cleanup program. National Brownfields Assessment Pilot Lima, Ohio May 1997 EPA 500-F-97-020 ------- |