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  Brownfields 2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

 Ironton  Port Authority,

                   OH


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 Ironton Port Authority was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. The City of Ironton
(population 11,211) is located in the Appalachian
Region of southeast Ohio. The area was home to coal
mining and gas and oil drilling for over 150 years. In
addition, heavy industrial operations provided primary
wage jobs to city residents. Over the past two decades,
the city's economic base shifted from heavy industry to
a reliance on lower-paying light manufacturing and
service industries. The economic dislocation is severe.
The city lost more than 3,000 jobs between 1998 and
2001. The city's population declined, and more than 27
percent of Ironton families with children live in poverty.
 Assessment Grant
 $200,000 for petroleum

 EPA has selected the Ironton Port Authority for a
 brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum grant
 funds will be used for community outreach,
 identifying and prioritizing sites, and conducting
 up to five Phase I and four Phase II environmen-
 tal site assessments.
 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 5 Brownfields Team
 312-886-7576
 http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

 Grant Recipient: Ironton Port Authority, OH
 740-534-4770

 The information presented in this fact sheet comes
 from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the
 accuracy of this information. The cooperative
 agreement for the grant has not yet been negoti-
 ated. Therefore, activities described in this fact
 sheet are subject to change.
There are eight large brownfields, numerous aban-
doned gas and oil wells, and abandoned gas stations
throughout the city. Assessment of brownfields will
help the city leverage private investment, access state
cleanup funding, and address the health and safety
issues related to contamination at these sites. The
Ironton Port Authority is considering a number of reuse
options for its brownfields, including greenspace and
other community uses, senior centers, and sustainable
commercial and industrial facilities.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-07-081
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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