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 Brownfields  2004
 Grant  Fact  Sheet
          Helena, AR
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 Helena was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. The twin cities of
Helena and West Helena (population 15,130) comprise
a historic Delta community on the banks of the Missis-
sippi River. The community represents the largest
population base in Phillips County, the poorest county in
Arkansas. The community is 59 percent African-
American. Almost 33 percent of the residents live
below the poverty level, and the median per capita
income  is $12,288. Over the last 30 years, the county
has experienced a 34 percent decline in population.
Much of the out-migration can be attributed first to the
mechanization of agriculture where machines replaced
low-skilled workers, and later to the exodus of manu-
facturers. The loss of the city's manufacturing base
   Assessment Grant
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   $200,000 for hazardous substances
   $200,000 for petroleum
   EPA has selected the City of Helena for a
   brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
   stances grant funds will be used to perform a
   community-wide inventory of sites, conduct Phase
   I and Phase  II site assessments, and identify and
   secure additional funding for redevelopment in the
   twin cities of Helena and West Helena. Petroleum
   grant funds will be used to conduct environmental
   site assessments and land reuse planning for
   seven petroleum-contaminated sites.
   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: Helena, AR
   870-816-1113

   The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
   yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
   in this fact sheet are subject to change.
has left the community with abandoned commercial
and industrial facilities. Revitalization of these sites is
expected to result in job creation and development of
affordable housing. Because of the historic nature of
the community, with its antebellum architecture and
civil war history, tourism is also expected to be a major
component of any revitalization strategy.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-04-057
                         June 2004
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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