%
                           \
                           UJ
                           o
 Brownfields 2005

  Grant  Fact Sheet

  Ma/'n Street Argenta,

 North Little Rock, AR


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

Main Street Argenta was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Main Street Argenta is
North Little Rock's Main Street organization. The
downtown area of North Little Rock (population
60,433) has lost residents over the last ten years due to
urban sprawl.  The city has developed a master plan to
reverse this trend. Part of the plan, which involves the
project site, the Smarthouse Way Property, calls for
maintaining and promoting a mix of housing types and
sustaining the area as a safe place to live. The target
site is located in and adjacent to census tracts where
the median household income is approximately two-
thirds of the city median, the poverty  level is nearly
three times  the city level, and more than 60 percent of
the residents are minority. Once cleaned up, the master
   Cleanup Grant
"fNew
_^2005£]
   $200,000 for hazardous substances

   EPA has selected Main Street Argenta for a
   brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be
   used to conduct community involvement activities,
   prepare a remedial design, and excavate and
   dispose of contaminated soil at the Smarthouse
   Way Property.  The site is contaminated with
   metals and other hazardous substances as the
   result of years of industrial use, including a stave
   mill, lumber mill, asphalt plant, and general
   dumping operations.
   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 6 Brownfields Team
  214-665-6736
  http://www.epa.gov/earthlr6/6sf/bfpages/
  sfbfhome.htm

  Grant Recipient: Main Street Argenta, AR
  501-975-8777

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
plan calls for redevelopment of the site as an upscale,
multi-family residential facility. The plan also supports
nearby redevelopment efforts, including a minor league
baseball stadium, a new city marina, and a trolley line.
The overall effort to revitalize the downtown area will
provide jobs, housing, entertainment, and leisure
activities that will enhance the quality of life for the
region. Revitalization of the downtown area will also
bring conveniences not currently available to area
neighborhoods, such as community grocery and
convenience stores, additional service merchants, and
employment opportunities.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-05-056
                        May 2005
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

-------