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Brownfields 2004
Grant Fact Sheet
Gresham, OR
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 Gresham was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Gresham (population
93,660) is a suburban community located directly east
of Portland in northwest Oregon. Early industry
centered around farming and food processing, but the
past 40 years have seen demographic changes due to
urban growth. Between 1990 and 2000, Gresham
experienced a 56 percent increase—from 8 percent to
12.5 percent—in people living below the poverty level,
and minority populations grew from 5 percent to 21
percent. Approximately 26 percent of Gresham's
citizens work within the community, most in low-wage
retail and service sector jobs. Only 117 acres (5
percent of the city's industrial-zoned land) are vacant
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Gresham for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to inventory more
than 100 potential brownfields, primarily in the
Rockwood-West Gresham area. Following the
inventory, the city will convene public forums,
conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental
assessments at high-ranking sites, develop a
remediation plan for one site, and develop an
overall redevelopment marketing plan.
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 10 Brownfields Team
206-553-2100
www.epa.gov/rlOearth, click on "Superfund,"
scroll down to "Related Programs" and click on
"Brownfields"
Grant Recipient: Gresham, OR
503-618-2854
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
and unconstrained, placing severe limits on Gresham's
ability to attract and maintain businesses and jobs. By
assessing and eventually cleaning up and redeveloping
brownfields, the city hopes to maximize the potential of
its industrial and commercial lands, thereby stimulating
the local economy and reducing threats to human
health and the environment.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-04-053
June 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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