United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105) EPA 500-F-01-040 June 2001 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ <>EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District, OR Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105) 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. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs 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 Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (Tri-Met) of Oregon for a Brownfields Pilot. The Portland tri-county metropolitan area contains approximately 1,100 knownbrownfields sites, aresult in part ofbusinesses forsaking properties with suspected contamination in favor of less problematic greenfields. Tri-Met evaluated 200 potential sites and completed initial assessments of 16 candidate sites in the Interstate MAX light-rail construction corridor. Tri-Met then worked with the Portland Brownfields Showcase Community program's community advisory committee to select five of the 16 candidate sites for Phase II environmental site assessments that will support community-based redevelopment proposals. OBJECTIVES Tri-Met's overall obj ective is to create opportunities for redevelopment associated with the Interstate MAX Light-Rail Proj ect by promoting the reuse of brownfields sites along the corridor proposed for the project. The Pilot assessed 16 sites and will assess and plan for the cleanup and redevelopment of the five priority brownfield sites in the economically disadvantaged neighborhoods within PILOT SNAPSHOT Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District, Oregon Date of Award: September1998 Amount: $200,000 Profile: The Pilottargetsfivesites within three disadvantaged neighborhoods in Portland for cleanup, assessment, and redevelopmentactivities related to the planned Interstate MAX light- rail line. Contacts: Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (503)962-2110 U.S. EPA-Region 10 Mike Slater (503)326-5872 Visit the EPA Region 10 Brownfields web site at: http://epainotes1.rtpnc.epa.gov:7777/r10/cleanup.nsf/webpage/ Brownfields For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brown fields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ ------- or adjacent to the transit corridor segments. By leveraging redevelopment and reuse of brownfields sites in these neighborhoods, Tri-Met will enhance the connection between transit and related and dependent industries. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES The Pilot has: • Conducted Phase I environmental assessments at 16 brownfields sites; and • Identified five priority sites for Phase II assessments based on Phase I assessment results and community input. The Pilot is: • Planning for cleanup and redevelopment at priority brownfields sites; and • Conducting outreach activities to inform stakeholders about project progress and cleanup and redevelopment options. Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District, Oregon June 2001 EPA500-F-01-040 ------- |