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  Brownfields 2004

  Grant Fact Sheet

    Heartland Regional

           Community

          Foundation,

       St.  Joseph,  MO


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, the President
signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields RevitalizationAct. 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. Additionally, funding
support is provided to state and tribal response pro-
grams through a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The Heartland Regional Community Foundation was
selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. St.
Joseph (population 73,990) depends on a predominantly
rural economy. The unemployment rate in St. Joseph is
5.2 percent, and the city's median household income in
1999 was 16 percent below the national average.
Barriers to community growth include geographic
isolation, sparse population in some locations, limited
job opportunities, and an inadequate supply of trained
workers. Once cleaned up, the site will become the
location for the "emPower Plant," an experiential youth
                      Cleanup Grant
                      $200,000 for hazardous substances

                      EPA has selected the Heartland Regional Com-
                      munity Foundation for a brownfields cleanup
                      grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up
                      hazardous substances contamination at the former
                      St. Joseph Light & Power Co. site, which was
                      used as a vehicle maintenance, storage, and
                      distribution facility. Environmental concerns at the
                      site include total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile
                      organic compounds, asbestos-containing materials,
                      and lead-based paint. Funds will be used for
                      remediation, development of health and safety
                      plans, and community outreach and engagement
                      activities.
                      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 7 Brownfields Team
                      913-551-7786
                      http://www.epa.gov/region07/brownfields/

                      Grant Recipient: Heartland Regional Community
                      Foundation, MO
                      816-271-7200

                      The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
                      yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
                      described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                   leadership development program facility that will have
                   the capacity to reach up to 15,000 young people per
                   year. The grant also is expected to encourage further
                   investment in the area.
                                                Solid Waste and
                                                Emergency Response
                                                (5105T)
                                           EPA560-F-04-136
                                           June 2004
                                           www.epa.gov/brownfields

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