&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-98-160 May 1998 Assessment Demonstration Pilot Co/ton, CA 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. Since 1995, EPA has funded more than 150 Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of brownfields solutions. 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 EPAhasselectedtheCityofColtonforaBrownfields Pilot. The city, a suburb of San Bernardino, is at the junction of two major railroads, the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe. Colton's population of 46,100 is more than 70% minority. In the pasttwenty years, the city has experienced economic decline in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors of the community. The city has suffered, along with the rest of the region, from the closing of Norton Air Force Base and other government downsizing projects. Colton is vulnerable to further decline as development projects seek out preferred greenfield sites. The city has developed a Revitalization Plan that identifies a number of public improvements and private developments that the city deems critical to its success. Restoring brownfields sites is a key element of this plan. The Pilot targets the City Center-Rancho Mill Street project area. The target area lies in the northwest section of Colton, and covers approximately 2 square miles. This area is characterized by many vacant and dilapidated industrial structures. Part of the Pilot project area is located in the Agua Mansa Enterprise Zone and Recycling Market Development Zone. Little redevelopment in the project area has taken place due to the fear of liability associated with environmental contamination. PILOT SNAPSHOT Colton, California Date of Announcement: May 1998 Amount: $200,000 Profile: The Pilot targets Colton's City Center- Rancho Mill Street project area. The project area encompasses 1,280acres and includes residential, commercial, and industrial uses. Contacts: City of Colton (939)370-5167 Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 9 (415)744-2237 Visit the EPA Region 9 Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/ Forfurtherinformation, 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/ ------- OBJECTIVES The objectives of Colton's brownfields program are to restore brownfields to economic productivity, form partnerships between public and private entities to address abandoned industrial and commercial properties, and give hope to financially distressed communities. The Pilot has identified 15-25 potential brownfields properties in the targeted project area, and will assess environmental contamination at selected sites and plan for cleanup and restoration of a portion of the Agua Mansa Enterprise Zone. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: • Conducting Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments, including data collection, site sampling, and hydrogeologic testing; • Determining the scope and cost of cleanup at selected sites; • Developing cleanup plans and arevitalization strategy; • Investigating sources of cleanup financing; and • Implementing a public outreach and community involvementplan. The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Cotton, California May 1998 EPA 500-F-98-160 ------- |