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Brownfields 2005
Grant Fact Sheet
Lehigh Valley
Economic
Development
Corporation, 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, 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 Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
was selected to receive two brownfields assessment
grants. Lehigh Valley (population 579,156) is located
north of Philadelphia. The economy of the valley
traditionally has relied on steel, textile, and natural
resources-based industries. With the decline in these
industries, the cities and boroughs of the valley have
been impacted by the legacy of closed and abandoned
factories, mills, and mines. This impact is best exempli-
fied in the case of Bethlehem Steel, a company that
Assessment Grants (20051
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Lehigh Valley Economic
Development Corporation for two brownfields
assessment grants. Hazardous substances grant
funds will be used to conduct community outreach
activities, perform Phase I and Phase II environ-
mental site assessments, develop cleanup plans,
and promote greenspace creation activities in
targeted cities and boroughs of Lehigh and
Northampton Counties. Petroleum funds will be
used to conduct the same tasks at sites with
potential petroleum contamination.
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: Lehigh Valley Economic Devel-
opment Corporation, PA
610-266-7179
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
once employed over 30,000 workers. The legacy of the
steel mill and of all the ancillary businesses built around
it have contributed to the deterioration of the local
economy. This phenomenon repeats itself to varying
degrees throughout the valley. The Lehigh Valley
Planning Commission has identified 250 brownfields in
the area. The unemployment rates in three of the four
communities targeted for assessment are significantly
higher than the county rate. Median household incomes
average 20 to 25 percent less than the county average.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-05-077
May 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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Assessment of the brownfields in these communities
will allow the Lehigh Valley Economic Development
Corporation to continue its efforts to redevelop the
valley, facilitate job creation, leverage private invest-
ment, protect the environment, and preserve
greenspace.
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