United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-99-002 March 1999 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ PA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Aberdeen, WA 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 Aberdeen for a Brownfields Pilot. Aberdeen has a population of just over 16,700. The community, once a hub of both fishing and timber industries, is now home to a depressed economy suffering from a decline in job and workforce availability. The State of Washington has designated the entire area as "economically distressed." Nearly 43 percent of the households in Aberdeen qualify as low- and moderate-income households, and nearly 19 percent of the population lives at or below the poverty level. The Pilot plans to target a 625-acre parcel that comprises approximately 300 acres of contaminated property and nearly 300 acres that are clean, but that are threatened by the adjacent contamination. The contaminated parcel is divided into two tracts—a former municipal landfill occupies approximately 294 acres and a former sawmill takes up approximately 43 acres. The targeted site has also been used as a truck repair yard and a dredge fill area for suspected contaminated sediments. Although the site has been extensively studied, further assistance is needed to finalize the site characterization and to prepare for site cleanup. Previous studies have indicated the presence of hazardous substances, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), xylene, toluene, and heavy metals in both the soil and groundwater. There are concerns that the PILOT SNAPSHOT Aberdeen, Washington Date of Announcement: March 1999 Amount: $200,000 Profile: The Pilot targets a 625- acre parcel along the Chehalis River that is contaminated from years of use as a sawmill and municipal landfill. Contacts: Aberdeen Planning and Economic Development Department (360)533-4100 Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 10 (206) 553-6523 Visit the EPA Region 10 Brownfields web site at: http://epainotes1.rtpnc.epa.gov:7777/MO/cleanup.nsf/ webpage/Brownfields For further information, 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/ ------- contamination could create a threat to those living in the low-income neighborhood of Junction City, which is virtually surrounded by the targeted property, as well as to area fisheries because of the proximity to the Chehalis River. OBJECTIVES The site assessment work to be funded by the Pilot will build on the prior and ongoing soil and groundwater studies conducted by various public and private stakeholders. With help from the Pilot funding, the city will complete the site investigation and create a collaborative effort among landowners of adjacent clean property, owners of contaminated properties, state and local agencies, the community, and businesses to develop the target area into a robust area with mixed uses. The city will work closely with the appropriate state officials to ensure that the efforts are coordinated and grant resources are used in the most cost-effective manner. Once cleaned up, the targeted area has enormous potential for nature preserves, parks, waterfront activities, and tourist business—especially to support programs relating to the Lady Washington, a 1787 replica of an exploratory sailing vessel, which is a focal point in the Aberdeen area. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: • Assessing the contamination at the targeted site; • Analyzing cleanup alternatives; • Involving the community in selection of alternative redevelopment uses and cleanup options; • Assisting stakeholders in resolving liability issues; • Identifying other resources for site cleanup; and • Selecting a cleanup and redevelopment plan that is protective of human health and the environment. 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 Aberdeen, Washington March 1999 EPA 500-F-99-002 ------- |