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  Brownfields  2006

  Grant  Fact Sheet

       Jersey  City,  NJ


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 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 City of Jersey City was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in northeastern
New Jersey across the Hudson River from New York
City, Jersey City (population of 239,097), a federally
designated Empowerment Zone, has  a long history of
industrial and commercial  activity that began  in the
1830s. Technological advances and economic changes
led to the closure of many of the chemical companies
and manufacturers in the city, leaving behind aban-
doned and underutilized properties. It is estimated that
more than 20 percent of the city's 212,670 acres are
brownfields. Of the city's total population,  66 percent
of the residents are minorities, and almost 19 percent
live in poverty. Assessments will be directed at proper-
ties contained within the Morris Canal Redevelopment
Area, also known as Bishop Street-Berry Lane.
  Assessment Grant
  $200,000 for hazardous substances
  EPA has selected the City of Jersey City for a
  brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
  stances grant funds will be used for conducting
  community outreach, preparing a brownfields
  inventory, performing site investigations, and
  preparing cleanup plans.
  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 2 Brownfields Team
  212-637-4314
  http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/
  brownfields/

  Grant Recipient: City of Jersey City, NJ
  201-547-5758

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields revitalization will allow the city to proceed
with a community recreational park, a police and fire
communications center, housing, commercial develop-
ment, and greenspace. Brownfields redevelopment will
increase investment, create jobs, and expand the tax
base.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                          EPA 560-F-06-035
                          May 2006
                          www.epa.gov/brownfields

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