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  Brownfields  2006

  Grant  Fact Sheet

     Lackawanna,  NY


EPA Brownfields Program

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders 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 Lackawanna was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in northwest-
ern New York near Buffalo, Lackawanna (population
19,064) is a federally designated Renewal Community
located along the shores of Lake Erie.  In the early
1900s, with the construction of one of the largest steel
plants in the world, Bethlehem Steel, Lackawanna
became an industrial center. At its peak, this plant
employed over 20,000 people.  By the 1970s,
Bethlehem began reducing operations at the plant.
Today, less than 400 people are employed in what
remains of the former plant.  The loss of Lackawanna's
manufacturing base is reflected in its income and
poverty rates. The median household income in the
city is 68 percent of the state median, and 16.7 percent
of city residents live below the poverty level. Assess-
  Assessment Grants
  $200,000 for hazardous substances
  $200,000 for petroleum

  EPA has selected the City of Lackawanna for two
  brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
  substances grant funds will be used to conduct
  community outreach, update and prioritize the
  city's inventory of sites, perform up to five Phase
  I and two Phase II environmental site assess-
  ments, and develop cleanup plans for up to two
  high priority sites around the city. Petroleum
  grant funds will be used to perform the same
  tasks at petroleum sites.
  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 2 Brownfields Team
  212-637-4314
  http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/
  brownfields/

  Grant Recipient: City of Lackawanna, NY
  716-827-6464

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
ment and eventual cleanup of the brownfields in the city
will help remove the stigma of environmental contami-
nation and enable the city to attract businesses that will
provide living-wage jobs and career opportunities for
residents. The city also plans to take advantage of its
waterfront location to increase recreational opportuni-
ties for residents and visitors.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                          EPA 560-F-06-042
                          May 2006
                          www.epa.gov/brownfields

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