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  Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

            Elkhart,  IN


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 Elkhart was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in northern
Indiana, Elkhart (population 51,701) has a long history
of manufacturing and industry, including the produc-
tion of band instruments and recreational vehicles.
Brownfields are mostly located in economically
depressed areas of the city, surrounded by dense
neighborhoods that could be affected by environmen-
tal hazards. The city is focusing its brownfields efforts
on three redevelopment areas: the downtown-West
Benham neighborhood, a former manufacturing area
on the north side of the city, and a residential area in
the central city. In these target areas, 42.5 percent of
residents are minorities, and the median household
income is  significantly lower than the rest of the city
 Assessment Grant
 $200,000 for petroleum

 EPA has selected the City of Elkhart for a
 brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum grant
 funds will be used to conduct 15 to 20 Phase I,
 and eight to ten Phase II environmental site
 assessments.  Funds also will be used to create a
 brownfields inventory 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 5 Brownfields Team
 312-886-7576
 http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

 Grant Recipient: City of Elkhart, IN
 574-294-5471

 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 county. When brownfields are assessed and
eventually cleaned up, the city plans to create pedes-
trian plazas, retail centers, and greenspace. This
redevelopment will remove blight, create jobs, and
improve neighborhood conditions.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-07-046
                         May 2007
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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