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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Roanoke, 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 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 Roanoke was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant and a brownfields
cleanup grant. Located in south-central Virginia,
Roanoke (population 94,911) was incorporated in 1882
as the headquarters of the Norfolk & Western railway.
Other industry was attracted to this hub, and the city's
population reached nearly 100,000 by 1950. By the
1980s, traditional industries began to slow and shut
down, and the city's population declined. The impacts
of these changes are felt hardest in core neighborhoods
around the downtown district and industrial corridors.
In six of the seven core neighborhoods, the poverty
rate ranges from 20.3 to 52.7 percent. Assessment of
the city's brownfields is expected to provide opportuni-
ties for redevelopment and growth in these neighbor-
hoods. Once the Virginia Scrap site is cleaned up, it
will be marketed for commercial and medical develop-
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Roanoke for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to develop an
inventory of sites, conduct environmental site
assessments, and support community outreach
activities.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Roanoke for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the Virginia Scrap
site at 1620 Jefferson Street, SE. The site, located
along the Roanoke River, was once used as a scrap
metal operation and is now contaminated with heavy
metals. Grant funds also will be used for cleanup
oversight and community outreach.
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
Grant Recipient: City of Roanoke, VA
540-853-5808
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.
ment, which is expected to provide jobs for community
residents.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-08-059
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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