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 Brownfields  2QQ5
  Grant  Fact  Sheet
           Lincoln, NE
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 City of Lincoln was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Lincoln, with a popula-
tion of 225,5 81, lies within the Platte River Valley in
southeastern Nebraska. Its population has been
growing since the early 1990s, with minorities account-
ing for almost 40 percent of new residents.  The target
area includes 41.7 acres in the center of Lincoln's
urban inner core, which had been a vibrant business
district for over 50 years. It began declining five years
ago as businesses closed or relocated, and left behind
abandoned and vacant properties. The area has lost
large  automobile sales and service dealerships that may
have left solvents and other contaminants that could
find their way into the soil and groundwater. Now 40
  Assessment Grant
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 12005/]
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   $128,200 for hazardous substances

   EPA has selected the City of Lincoln for a
   brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
   used to conduct from eight to ten Phase I site
   assessments and up to six Phase II site assess-
   ments, and plan remedial actions for a 41.7-acre
   site located in the urban inner core of the city.
   Funds also will be used for community outreach
   activities.
   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 7 Brownfields Team
  913-551-7646
  http://www.epa.gov/Region7/citizens/brownfields/
  index.htm

  Grant Recipient: City of Lincoln, NE
  402-441-7855

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
percent vacant, the area is characterized by deterio-
rated and unusable structures. In addition, the target
area lacks stormwater capacity, resulting in flooding on
and adjacent to the area.  Commercial land and
residences surround the target area, and will benefit
from redevelopment with improved livability, job
creation, reduction in crime, and an increase in prop-
erty values.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA560-F-05-124
                         May 2005
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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