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  Brownfields  2006

  Grant  Fact Sheet

        Rochester,  NY


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 Rochester was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant and two brownfields
cleanup grants. Since 1995, Rochester (population
220,000) has lost more than five percent of its popula-
tion and experienced a general decline in assessed real
property  values. Cutbacks and closings of the city's
largest industrial employers have resulted in massive
job losses and numerous brownfields properties.
Approximately 40 percent of the city's 5,200 manufac-
turing and commercial properties are considered
brownfields. Today,  Rochester is a federally desig-
nated Enterprise Zone/Empowerment Community and
Renewal Community. More than 23 percent of fami-
lies live in poverty. In some disadvantaged neighbor-
hoods of the city, 35 percent of the population lives
below the poverty level, and more than 50 percent of
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the City of Rochester for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to conduct
community outreach activities, monitor the city's
institutional controls program, perform Phase I
and II environmental site assessments, and
develop cleanup plans for sites throughout the
community.
Cleanup Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances'r
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the City of Rochester for two
brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to conduct
community participation activities, remove and
dispose of tons of contaminated soil, and install a
groundwater treatment and monitoring system
for the former Davidson Collision site at 399
Gregory Street. Chlorinated solvent contamina-
tion in soil and groundwater at this 0.4-acre site is
related to its use as an auto body and repair shop
from the early 1960s to 1994. Petroleum grant
funds will be used to perform the same tasks at
the 0.58-acre former Caribbean Service Center
site at 935 West Broad Street. The extensive
petroleum soil and groundwater contamination
across the site is related to its use as a gasoline
station and auto repair facility beginning in 1929.
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.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-06-045
                        May 2006
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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residents are minorities. Assessment and eventual
cleanup of brownfields will help stimulate investment
in the community, generate revenues for the city, and
create jobs. Cleanup and redevelopment of the
Davidson Collision site will create jobs and help the
neighborhood become a more dynamic, liveable urban
village. Cleanup of the Caribbean Service Center will
help support the momentum of two major projects
underway in the neighborhood, the construction of a
new soccer stadium and a regional community center
planned by the Salvation Army.
EPA Region 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4314
http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: City of Rochester, NY
585-428-5978
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet
been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this
fact sheet are subject to change.

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