HI
C3
Brownfields 2004
Grant Fact Sheet
West-to-West
Coalition, Inc.,
Monongahela River
Valley, PA
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 West-to-West Coalition was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. The Coalition represents
21 local governments in Western Pennsylvania's
Monongahela River Valley, with a combined population
of approximately 134,000. Five of the municipalities are
federal Enterprise Communities. For years, the banks
of the river were lined with steelmaking operations and
other heavy industry. As a result of the collapse of the
steel industry, the region lost 54 percent of its manufac-
turing jobs, and the real property tax base fell 75
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the West-to-West Coalition for
a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to perform
approximately 15 Phase II assessments of proper-
ties contaminated with hazardous substances, and
for community outreach. Petroleum funds will be
used to perform between six and eight Phase II
assessments of properties contaminated with
petroleum.
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 3 Brownfields Team
215-814-3129
http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bfs/index.htm
Grant Recipient: West-to-West Coalition, Inc., PA
412-469-1132
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
percent. Although the area-wide minority rate is
approximately 19 percent, more than 45 percent of
residents in the heavily impacted former industrial
communities are minorities. Redevelopment of
brownfields is expected to help the coalition stimulate
sustained economic growth, create new jobs, and
address environmental justice issues.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-04-223
June 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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