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 Brownfields 2005

 Grant Fact  Sheet

    Allegheny County

      Redevelopment

        Authority, 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 Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County
was selected to receive two brownfields assessment
grants and a cleanup grant. Allegheny County (popula-
tion 1,281,700) lies in western Pennsylvania and
includes a federally designated Enterprise Zone. The
corridors along the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, the
target areas, have a shared industrial history. For
decades, the banks along both sides of the rivers were
lined with steel manufacturing facilities and other
heavy industries that relied on the rivers and adjacent
rail lines for the transportation of raw materials and
finished products. The demise of these industries left
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the Redevelopment Authority of
Allegheny County for two brownfields assessment
grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be
used to conduct up to five Phase I and II site
assessments at former industrial riverfront
properties along the county's Allegheny and Ohio
River corridors. Funds also will be used to conduct
community outreach activities. Petroleum funds will
be used to conduct six to eight Phase I and II site
assessments in the same target areas.

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Cleanup Grant
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$200,000 for hazardous substance^*

EPA has selected the Redevelopment Authority of
Allegheny County for a brownfields cleanup
grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct
community outreach and cleanup activities at the
13-acre Firth Sterling property in the City of
McKeesport. Contamination at the site is the
result of the historic use of the property for steel
manufacturing and later as an equipment storage
yard for a highway construction business.
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: Redevelopment Authority of
Allegheny County, PA
412-350-1080

The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                                                Solid Waste and
                                                Emergency Response
                                                (5105T)
                     EPA560-F-05-175
                     May 2005
                     www.epa.gov/brownfields

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the county with many abandoned and underutilized
properties. Many of these riverfront communities have
unemployment rates of around 15 percent. In the
heavily impacted communities, more than 45 percent of
residents are minorities. Assessment of the brownfields
properties will address the concerns that discourage
investment in the region. Redevelopment of these
properties could leverage the creation of much-needed
jobs. The cleanup site, the Firth Sterling property, is in
a federally designated Enterprise Zone, where 23
percent of residents live below the poverty line, and the
unemployment rate is 17 percent. Redevelopment of
the property is expected to support 500 industrial jobs,
generate over $17 million in investment for the city,
mitigate the potential risks to human health and the
environment, and address environmental justice issues.

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