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Brownfields 2006
Grant Fact Sheet
Richmond, VA
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 Richmond was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Richmond (population
197,790), like many other older industrial cities, has
experienced decline in its once industrial and commer-
cial centers. The city is currently experiencing a shift
toward residential and mixed-use development in these
older zones. The James River, once a source of power
and means of transportation, has become a major focus
because of the city's new waterfront redevelopment.
Richmond has 16 large brownfields sites and nearly
100 smaller sites. Together these properties cover a
total of 190 acres. Many of these vacant and
underutilized properties are in the older sections of the
city. The targeted communities (total population
114,515) in these older areas include neighborhoods
where 50 percent of the households earn below 80
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Richmond for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to conduct
community outreach activities and perform Phase
I and II environmental site assessments in three of
the city's more depressed communities and
portions of the Richmond Redevelopment and
Housing Authority's designated redevelopment,
conservation and rehabilitation areas.
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: City of Richmond, VA
804-646-3792
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
percent of the city's median income, 13 percent of the
civilian residents are unemployed, and the poverty rate
is 28 percent. Assessment and eventual cleanup of the
brownfields properties will help address the environ-
mental and health concerns related to these sites and
help stem disinvestment. Richmond anticipates that the
revitalization of its brownfields properties will add new
housing, greenspace, and employment opportunities for
area residents. The city expects the redevelopment to
result in approximately $100 million in tax revenues
and 1,000 new full-time jobs in the community.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-06-060
May 2006
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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