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  Brownfields  2006

  Grant  Fact Sheet

         Ranson,   WV


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 Ranson was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in eastern West
Virginia, Ranson (population 6,500) is in the process
of redeveloping a blighted brownfields area into a
"Commerce Corridor." The poverty rate in Ranson is
37.7 percent, and 15 percent of residents within
walking distance of the targeted brownfields area live
below the poverty level. The minority population in
this area is 20 percent. Brownfields pose a danger to
public health and the environment and have had
detrimental economic effects on the community.
Redevelopment plans for this area include construc-
tion of the first multiplex theater in the county, a
farmers market-style retail area, affordable housing,
new county facilities, a parking structure, a 150,000-
square-foot technology center, new stream-side
 Assessment Grant
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 EPA has selected the City of Ranson for a
 brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
 stances grant funds will be used to conduct Phase
 II environmental site assessments at two sites and
 to develop cleanup and reuse plans for at least
 three sites. Grant funds also will be used to
 implement 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: City of Ranson, WV
 304-725-1010

 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
 yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
 in this fact sheet are subject to change.
parkland, a public skate park, and a public gymnasium.
Brownfields redevelopment will create jobs, and
remove blight and environmental threats from the
community.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-06-066
                         May 2006
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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