5 o T> Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet Gahanna, 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 Gahanna was selected to receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. Located in the Columbus metropolitan area in central Ohio, Gahanna (population 34,469) is a suburban community that has a shrinking supply of developable land. Despite the city's small size, it contains at least 71 brownfields. Brownfields inhibit development in commercial and industrial areas that provide much of the city's tax revenue. They also threaten the region's shared natural resource, the Big Walnut Creek. Several brownfields are in the city's Industrial District where Jefferson Township's public water supply well field is located. The city will target brownfields that have the greatest potential to affect this drinking water supply. Brownfields cleaned up through the RLF grant are expected to spur development on tracts of underused Revolving Loan Fund Grant $942,000 for hazardous substances $58,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Gahanna for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the City of Gahanna will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances. Grant funds also will be used to market the revolving loan fund and conduct and oversee site cleanups. 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 Gahanna, OH 614-342-4015 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. and abandoned properties that have the potential to generate positive economic and environmental impacts on the city. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-08-137 April 2008 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |