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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Ashtabula, 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 this 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. Additionally, funding support is
provided to state and tribal response programs through
a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The City of Ashtabula was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located along the
shores of Lake Erie, Ashtabula (population 20,962) was
incorporated in 1891. The Ashtabula River harbor was
once one of the world's largest ore and coal ports. With
almost 30 miles of lake shoreline, the city also became
a major shipping and commercial center. During the
1950s, the chemical industry expanded in the city, and
the population grew until the 1970s. Since then, with
the loss of these industries, the city has declined and
been left with abandoned ports, buildings, and industrial
space. Today, the household median income is one of
the lowest in the state, and 21.4 percent of residents
live below the poverty level. The city's brownfields
efforts will focus on two commercial districts targeted
in its Revitalization Plan: the Downtown District and
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Ashtabula for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to inventory and
prioritize sites and to perform from six to eight
Phase I and two to three Phase II environmental
site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be
used to perform the same tasks at sites with
potential petroleum contamination. Grant funds also
will be used to support community outreach
activities.
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: City of Ashtabula, OH
440-992-7195
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.
the Historic Harbor Front District. There are more
than 80 acres of blighted or underused property and
an estimated 27 acres of property possibly impacted
by petroleum within the Downtown District. Assess-
ment of brownfields will provide information about
environmental issues in the targeted districts and is
expected to leverage local resources for redevelop-
ment.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-08-129
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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