United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105)
EPA 500-F-00-208
July 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
&EPA Brownfields Cleanup
Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
Lehigh County, PA
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders
in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for
redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two
years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup
of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund
programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans for the environmental cleanup
of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful
information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment,
environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
Lehigh County is part of the Lehigh Valley region of
Pennsylvania. Since the mid-1700s, the Lehigh Valley
region has engaged in a wide range of economic
activities. Agriculture, mining, iron production, steel
making, textile production, and the slate and cement
industry activities have contributed to the local
economy. Economic cycles and industry downturns
over the years have led to massive lay-offs and site
abandonment. The county's overall poverty rate is
seven percent. Poverty in the Borough of Slatington,
which encompasses 1.34 square miles and six brown-
fields, reaches almost 15 percent. Over 75 potential
redevelopment sites in 30 municipalities, totaling 1,100
acres, have been identified and targeted for brownfields
redevelopment. The Lehigh County has been a
collaborative partner in the Northampton County
Brownfields Assessment Pilot. Assessments at
brownfield properties have been conducted under the
pilot in Lehigh County.
BCRLF OBJECTIVES
Lehigh's BCRLF goals are to:
• Revitalize underutilized properties while
protecting the environment;
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
July 2000
Amount: $500,000
BCRLF Target Area:
Lehigh County
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Contacts:
Lehigh County Department
of Development
(610)782-3001
Region 3 BCRLF
Coordinator
(215)814-3211
Visit the EPA Region 3 Brownfields web site at:
www.epa.gov/region03/wasteybrown/index.htm
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional
Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications
and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields
Revitalize the tax base;
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Provide a business-friendly environment and
resident input into community development;
Create viable development that discourages
sprawl; and
Promote the preservation of greenspace.
Many of the identified sites are located in State of
Pennsylvania Keystone Opportunity Zones and
Enterprise Zones.
FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
The Lehigh County Department of Development will
act as lead agency. A site manager and fund manager
will be designated. The County expects to provide loans
in amounts ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 and
with loan terms of between two and seven years.
LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES
Since many of the identified brownfields sites in Lehigh
County are located in Keystone Opportunity Zones and
the Enterprise Zone, the Lehigh BCRLF will be used in
conjunction with these special designations to allow a
variety of tax abatement applications. The Pilot also
will leverage the County's support to secure additional
funding from private sources, including corporations
and foundations. One additional anticipated source of
funding will be from existing funds available from
Northampton County's EPA Brownfields Pilot Project
grant fund that can be used for site assessment
activities. The County also has partnerships with local
banking and lending institutions, so if adequate funding
is not available from the above sources, the local banks
and lenders will be able to provide financial support.
Use of 'BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with
CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of funding
also apply to BCRLF funds.
Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
July 2000 EPA 500-F-00-208
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