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Brownfields 2005
Grant Fact Sheet
Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources
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 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) was selected to receive two brownfields
assessment grants. The Wisconsin DNR is targeting
sites in the City of Milwaukee's 30th Street Industrial
Corridor. This area is a federally designated Renewal
Community and part of the Milwaukee Brownfields
Showcase Community. Large and small manufacturing
operations, including foundries, tanneries, breweries,
and motor manufacturers, thrived in this area, employ-
ing nearly 40 percent of neighborhood residents. Fears
of environmental contamination from these operations
have discouraged investment and economic develop-
ment in the corridor. Today, less than 15 percent of
neighborhood residents are employed in the area.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources for two brownfields assess-
ment grants. Hazardous substances grant funds
will be used to conduct approximately ten Phase I
and up to four Phase II environmental site
assessments and develop remedial action plans
for sites in the 30th Street Industrial Corridor in
the City of Milwaukee. Petroleum funds will be
used to perform the same tasks at sites in the
corridor with potential petroleum contamination.
This area was once a manufacturing center with
tanneries, breweries, foundries, and motor manu-
facturers.
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 5 Brownfields Team
312-886-7576
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources
608-267-6713
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Ninety-seven percent of residents are minority, 34
percent live in poverty, and the unemployment rate is
19 percent. Fifteen percent of neighborhood housing
units are vacant. Most occupied units are rentals, many
of which are owned by absentee landlords who invest
little in maintenance and up-keep. Assessment and
eventual cleanup of the brownfields will remove health
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-05-110
May 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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and environmental hazards and blight from the commu-
nity and provide opportunities to restore economic
health to this struggling urban corridor.
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