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Brownfields 2006
Grant Fact Sheet
Chattanooga, TN
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 Chattanooga was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in southeastern
Tennessee, Chattanooga (population 155,554) plans to
conduct community-wide brownfields assessments in
the 3.7-square-mile Alton Park redevelopment area,
which lies within Chattanooga's federally designated
Renewal Community. The target area was once home
to foundries, tanneries, brick kilns, glass container
manufacturers, and textile mills that made the city a
thriving manufacturing hub. As industry declined,
vacated properties throughout the target area and the
Chattanooga Creek were used as dumping sites. Since
1980, the population of the area has declined by more
than 38 percent. Approximately 97 percent of Alton
Park residents are African-American. The poverty and
unemployment rates are 54 and 23 percent, respec-
t
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Chattanooga for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to inventory
brownfields sites, perform Phase I and II environ-
mental site assessments, facilitate community
involvement activities, and develop cleanup and
redevelopment plans for sites in the Alton Park
redevelopment area.
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 4 Brownfields Team
404-562-8866
http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf/index.htm
Grant Recipient: City of Chattanooga, TN
423-757-5216
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
tively. Approximately 46 percent of residents over the
age of 25 are not high school graduates. There are at
least 28 possible brownfields sites totaling more than
76 acres scattered throughout the area. Assessment and
eventual cleanup of the Alton Park brownfields sites
will clear the way for the remaining strategic elements
of the community's master plan, which includes the
development of infill housing and commercial estab-
lishments, and the expansion of open space and recre-
ational areas that will improve the quality of life for
area residents.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-06-089
May 2006
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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