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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Cedar Rapids, I A
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 Cedar Rapids was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located in east-central
Iowa, Cedar Rapids (population 120,758) is the largest
city in Linn County. The city enjoyed a relatively
healthy economy as its population increased by about
11 percent during the 1990s. This growth occurred
away from the city's downtown urban core, focusing
development activities elsewhere. As a result, the
targeted New Bohemia Creative District (population
1,797) experienced environmental and economic
decline. This district is characterized by low-to-
moderate income residents, and contains abandoned
and obsolete industrial areas and aging infrastructure.
The poverty and unemployment rates are 28.2 and
seven percent, respectively. Nearly 31 percent of area
residents are minorities. Cleanup of the target site is
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Cedar Rapids for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the 30-acre
former Sinclair Meat Packing Plant at 1600 3rd
Street SE in the New Bohemia Creative District.
The plant has a history of commercial, manufactur-
ing, and industrial use dating back to the late 1800s.
Site soil and groundwater are contaminated with
heavy metals, volatile and semi-volatile organic
compounds, and other hazardous substances. Grant
funds also will be used to support community
involvement 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 7 Brownfields Team
800-223-0425
http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brownfields
Grant Recipient: City of Cedar Rapids, IA
319-286-5046
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.
expected to help leverage additional investment in the
site and surrounding areas and increase property
values. The city's vision for site redevelopment is a
mixture of commercial, residential, and greenspace
uses.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-08-162
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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