&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-98-223 July 1998 Assessment Demonstration Pilot Cedar Rapids, IA 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 200 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 EPA has selected the City of Cedar Rapids for a Brownfields Pilot. Cedar Rapids (population 108,751) is the largest community in eastern Iowa. There are several areas in the City, including the targeted south- side neighborhood, with disproportionately high numbers of elderly, low-income, and minority residents. Unemployment in the targeted area is 13 %, and 30% of the area's population lives in poverty. Nearly 38% of the area's residents are elderly and 28% of the residents are minority. The targeted area, consisting of approximately 177 acres of mixed-use property—commercial, industrial, and a long-established Eastern European residential neighborhood—is in decline and transition. Approximately 70 acres of this property is considered to be brownfields. The residential cohesiveness within the area has eroded, and buildings have been abandoned and neglected. Three sites—a former meat-processing facility, abuilding that housed a steel fabricating business, and an abandoned iron foundry— will be targeted by the Pilot. OBJECTIVES As part of the City's comprehensive and sustainable planning effort, the Pilot plans to help transform the PILOT SNAPSHOT Date of Announcement: July 1998 Amount: $200,000 Profile: The Pilot targets three properties on the City's south side nearthe Cedar River. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Contacts: Department of Development City of Cedar Rapids (319)398-5041 Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 7 (913)551-7786 Visit the EPA Region 7 Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region07/specinit/brown/brownfields.htm 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/ ------- targeted area into a year-round recreational complex with parkways and trails. The project seeks to accentuate the positive and unique attributes of the area (e.g., Cedar River, the Eastern European neighborhood, and cultural buildings) while overcoming the blighted conditions, enhancing environmental quality, and creating j obs. To help accomplish these larger objectives, the Pilot will focus on environmental assessment, cleanup planning, and community engagement at the three priority brownfields in the area. In addition, the City will work to leverage other public and private sector funds to help complete this project. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: • Conducting Phase I and II environmental assessments at the three targeted properties; • Analyzing cleanup strategies and developing cleanup cost estimates for the properties; • Developing a risk-based cleanup plan for the properties that considers alternate redevelopment plans and emphasizes compatibility with the surrounding area; • Identifying cleanup funding sources; and • Working with community stakeholders in the planning efforts. 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 Cedar Rapids, Iowa July 1998 EPA500-F-98-223 ------- |