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  Brownfields  2006

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

      Nevada  City,   CA


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 Nevada  City was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in northeastern
California within the Deer Creek watershed, Nevada
City (population 3,001) has a long history of gold
mining operations, with 16 major mines in the area.
The city will focus on assessing five major mine
tailing areas located  in the heart of Nevada City. This
area is close to residential neighborhoods and four
elementary schools.  Historical research and prelimi-
nary work have indicated that these sites likely contain
elevated concentrations of mercury and arsenic.
Contamination from Nevada City mine sites impacts
numerous downstream communities by contaminating
water and drinking water supplies and elevating
mercury levels in fish. Deer Creek in particular is an
important drinking water source for low-income rural
  Assessment Grant
  $200,000 for hazardous substances
  EPA has selected the City of Nevada City for a
  brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
  stances grant funds will be used to strengthen
  local partnerships through community outreach
  activities, develop an assessment protocol, assess
  properties, prioritize sites for cleanup, and
  analyze cleanup options for mine-scarred lands in
  the city.
  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 9 Brownfields Team
  415-972-3092
  http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/
  index.html

  Grant Recipient: City of Nevada City, CA
  530-265-2496

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
areas. After brownfields assessment and eventual
cleanup, the sites will be used for publicly accessible
greenspace and open space for recreational, educational,
and ecological restoration purposes. Brownfields
redevelopment is expected to protect the residents of
Nevada City and downstream communities from poten-
tial health risks, stimulate tourism, and improve water
quality.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                          EPA560-F-06-179
                          May 2006
                          www.epa.gov/brownfields

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