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  Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

       Central City,  PA


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 Borough of Central City was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in southwestern
Pennsylvania, the Dark Shade Watershed region
(population 4,144) is part of the Appalachian Coal
Region and includes Central City and Shade Town-
ship. During the early 1900s, the Dark Shade Water-
shed region grew around the coal mining industry. In
1957, the region's largest coal mine closed, creating an
economic void in the community that has never been
filled. From 1930 to 1990, Central City and Shade
Township lost more than 40 percent of their popula-
tion. Central City's per capita income is $13,263. The
Watershed region, scarred by decades of mining
activities, contains metal-laden soil, unreclaimed strip
mines, and piles of coal waste. Twenty acid mine
drainage discharges are documented in the region and
 Assessment Grant
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 EPA has selected the Borough of Central City for
 a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous
 substances grant funds will be used to perform
 environmental assessments at prioritized sites and
 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 3 Brownfields Team
 215-814-3129
 http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bfs/index.htm

 Grant Recipient: Borough of Central City, PA
 814-754-8290

 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.
have destroyed almost all aquatic life in the watershed.
Brownfields assessments will help leverage resources
to transform the Dark Shade Watershed into a cleaner,
safer, and healthier community. Cleanup will help
restore Dark Shade Creek and facilitate development
of the eco-tourism industry in the region.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-07-028
                         May 2007
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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