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 Brownfields 2004
 Grant  Fact Sheet
       Charleston,  SC
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 Charleston was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. The targeted sites are in
Charleston's (population 96,650) federally designated
Renewal Community. The 7.3-square-mile Renewal
Community is made up of 19 neighborhoods with a
total population of 20,250. More than 71 percent of
residents are African-American, and more than 66
percent have low or moderate incomes. Because of
the steady decline  in economic conditions, the current
unemployment rate is estimated at about 20 percent.
Several development options are being discussed for
the two targeted sites, including affordable housing,
                       Assessment Grant
                       $200,000 for petroleum
                       EPA has selected the City of Charleston for a
                       brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
                       used to inventory sites with potential petroleum
                       contamination in the city's Renewal Community,
                       conduct community outreach activities, conduct
                       Phase I and II assessments, perform health
                       monitoring in surrounding communities, and plan
                       cleanup and remediation at two 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 4 Brownfields Team
                       404-562-8493
                       http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf/index.htm

                       Grant Recipient: Charleston, SC
                       843-724-3768

                       The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
                       yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
                       described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                    greenspace, and non-polluting commercial business.
                    Cleanup and redevelopment of these sites will help
                    reduce environmental and health impacts and enhance
                    the area's aesthetic appearance.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                                            EPA 560-F-04-032
                                            June 2004
                                            www.epa.gov/brownfields

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