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Brownfields 2QQ5
Grant Fact Sheet
University of
Washington,
Tacoma, WA
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
The University of Washington, Tacoma, was selected
to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The University
of Washington's Tacoma Campus, a National Historic
District, has apopulation of2,100 students within the
city (population 194,000). As one of the nation's 40
most impoverished communities, Tacoma is a federally
recognized Renewal Community. The unemployment
rate is 18 percent and approximately 12 percent of
area families are classified as low-income families.
These economic hardships are compounded by the a
number of environmental problems in the area, includ-
ing the presence of a superfund site and brownfields
Cleanup Grant
$178,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the University of Washington,
Tacoma, for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant
funds will be used to support community outreach
activities, develop plans for and execute cleanup
of the Jefferson Street Association Parcel site in
downtown Tacoma. Underground storage tanks
and a buried hydraulic lift remain on site and soils
are contaminated with petroleum. Currently an
unpaved parking lot, the parcel was occupied by a
gas station and tire service store from 1934 until
1993.
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 10 Brownfields Team
206-553-2100
http://www.epa.gov/rlOearth, click on
"Superfund", scroll down and click on
"Brownfields"
Grant Recipient: University of Washington,
Tacoma, WA
206-616-0588
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
sites. Efforts to rejuvenate the downtown area are
underway, and the redevelopment of brownfields has
played a critical role. Cleanup of the target site, the
Jefferson Street Association parcel in downtown
Tacoma, will eliminate the environmental contaminants
on the property. Elimination of the environmental
contaminants is expected to reduce worker protection
and construction costs associated with the future
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-05-163
May 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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development of the campus. This grant will allow the
university to use the limited state funds for capital
improvements required to implement its master plan for
redevelopment and revitalization.
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