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 Brownfields 2005
  Grant  Fact Sheet
Cuyahoga County, OH
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

Cuyahoga County was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Cuyahoga County has
the largest population of any Ohio county, with
1,393,978 residents. The most recent economic reces-
sion has had a serious impact on county residents and
businesses.  Between 2000 and 2004, the county lost
63,900 jobs, which represents more than eight percent
of its employment base. Cleveland, a federally desig-
nated Empowerment Zone in the heart of Cuyahoga
County, has been particularly impacted by the loss of
jobs in the area. Cleveland has the highest poverty rate,
31.3 percent, of all of the nation's large metropolitan
areas. Nearly one-half of the city's children live in
poverty. Cuyahoga has identified an estimated 18,000
brownfields properties that cover more than 4,600
  Assessment Grants
   $200,000 for hazardous substances
   $200,000 for petroleum

   EPA has selected Cuyahoga County for two
   brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
   substances grant funds will be used to support
   community outreach activities and perform Phase
   I and II environmental site assessments on
   properties throughout the county. Petroleum funds
   will be used to perform the same tasks at sites
   with potential petroleum contamination. These
   funds will help sustain the county's existing
   Brownfield Redevelopment Fund Community
   Assessment Initiative program.
   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: Cuyahoga County, OH
  216-443-8064

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
acres, mostly in Cleveland and its first-ring suburban
communities. With little developable land remaining,
Cuyahoga will become the only fully developed county
in Ohio within the next decade. Since 2000, more than
1,500 jobs have been created or retained on former
county brownfields sites. Assessment and cleanup of
additional brownfields properties will help Cuyahoga
continue this momentum to retain and create jobs,
increase earnings and property values, and reduce
public health risks to county residents.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA560-F-05-194
                        May 2005
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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