*0 Brownfields 2005 Grant Fact Sheet Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, MN 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 Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The City of Minneapolis (population 2,741,000) is a feder- ally designated Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community. More than 40 percent of Minneapolis residents are minority or multiethnic. The two target communities, Northeast and University, abut the B.F. Nelson cleanup site and exhibit similar growth trends. These communities have higher rates of unemployment and larger senior populations than the city. More than 35 percent of the University community lives in poverty. The B.F. Nelson site is in the riverfront district, which has been particularly hard hit by the legacy of brownfields. It sits on the east bank of the Mississippi River within the Minneapolis Central Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be used to implement a response action plan, including placing clean fill over contaminated areas of the B.F. Nelson park site, an undeveloped 12-acre property located near downtown Minneapolis on the east bank of the Mississippi River. A previous Phase II envi- ronmental site assessment revealed the presence of semi- volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Between 1871 and 1973, the site was used for lumber milling, and the manufacturing of paper boxes, paint, tar paper, shingles, and saturated felt. 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: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, MN 612-230-6470 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Riverfront Regional Park. Most of the adjacent park areas are partially or fully developed. The B.F. Nelson site is a pivotally-located parcel in the park that, once cleaned up, will be restored to parkland with native plant communities. This ecological restoration will minimize environmental pollution, help improve water quality by controlling erosion, and provide a wildlife habitat along the river corridor. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-05-191 May 2005 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |