*0 Brownfields 2005 Grant Fact Sheet Ark-Tex Council of Governments, Southwest Arkansas and Northeast Texas 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, President George W. Bush 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. Addi- tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Community Description The Ark-Tex Council of Governments was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The Council serves ten mostly rural counties, nine in Texas and one in Arkansas. The cities in this region developed around railroads that supported industries, including timber and agriculture. These industries have since left, and the region has suffered from a lack of new investment. The region has a population of 311,562, and suffers from a higher unemployment rate, higher poverty rate, and Assessment Grant (2005^ $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Ark-Tex Council of Govern- ments for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to inventory brownfields properties, and conduct approximately ten to 15 Phase I site assessments and two to three Phase II site assessments. Funds also will be used to perform health monitoring activities in neighbor- hoods surrounding the sites, conduct community outreach activities, and launch a web site with project information and status reports. 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 6 Brownfields Team 214-665-6736 http://www.epa.gov/earthlr6/6sf/bfpages/ sfbfhome.htm Grant Recipient: Ark-Tex Council of Govern- ments, TX 903-832-8636 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. lower per capita income than the state and national averages. There are more than 100 legal and illegal closed landfills in the area, as well as many abandoned industrial facilities and gas stations. These blighted areas inhibit economic development, and decrease housing and land values of adjacent properties. Brownfields redevelopment will increase economic development, create jobs, provide the rationale for undertaking additional brownfields projects, and protect the health and environment of the region's communities. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-05-062 May 2005 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |