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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Owensboro, KY
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 Owensboro was selected to receive three
brownfields cleanup grants. Owensboro (population
55,525) is located in the western Kentucky coal field
region on the southern banks of the Ohio River. The
city once was an industrial hub that attracted aluminum
manufacturers and processors, coal mining, and natural
gas transmission operations. By the 1980s, many of
these industries had closed, leaving behind abandoned
properties scattered throughout the city. The poverty
rate in Owensboro is nearly 16 percent, and the median
household income is significantly lower than the county
or state incomes. Contamination from the cleanup sites
is threatening the water supply of surrounding proper-
ties as well as the Ohio River. These sites are part of a
larger parcel on which the city plans to construct an $8
Cleanup Grants
$600,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Owensboro for three
brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the former
Jackson's Pronto Cleaners site at 911 Allen Street
and two other adjacent sites at 100 East 9th Street
and 1003 Allen Street. Jackson's Pronto Cleaners
operated from 1954 to 2000. Dry cleaning chemi-
cals and byproducts have been detected in both the
soil and groundwater. Grant funds will be used to
complete cleanup plans, clean up above-ground and
subsurface contamination, perform sampling, and
conduct 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 4 Brownfields Team
404-562-8792
http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf
Grant Recipient: City of Owensboro, KY
270-687-8556
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.
million public safety operations and training center that
will combine local and federal law enforcement
services and foster partnerships throughout the region.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-08-077
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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