SEFft United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste And Emergency Response (5401 G) EPA 510-F-02-016 June 2002 www. epa. gov/oust/ Underground Storage Tanks And Brown fields Sites WASHINGTON/Tacoma EPA's US Tfields Initiative funds states and tribes to conduct pilot projects in brownfields communities to assess and clean up petroleum contamination from federally-regulated underground storage tanks (USTs) at idle or abandoned commercial properties. Petroleum contamination has generally been excluded from funding under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and has not, therefore, been covered under EPA's Brownfields Program. In 2002, EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) competitively selected 40 state and tribal USTfields Pilots. In each pilot, the state will work with a local community or the tribe will work with its EPA Region to address identified sites. Each pilot is awarded up to $100,000 of Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust funds to assess and clean up petroleum-contaminated sites; as a result, the sites will be ready for future reuse. BACKGROUND The State of Washington will work with the City of Tacoma to assess and clean up petroleum contamination from four underground storage tanks at the Tacoma Gas Station Park. One or more of these tanks has leaked petroleum products into the soil and groundwater. For 16 years, this abandoned gas station, which is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, has been a health threat and a visual blight to the surrounding communities. Local communities and the local government are active at the site and have committed significant financial and in-kind resources. USTfields Pilot funds will help leverage matching funds from the community and other organizations to supplement funding. OBJECTIVES Using USTfields Pilot funds, the State of Washington will team with the City of Tacoma to assess and clean up petroleum contamination from underground storage tanks at the Tacoma Gas Station Park. After the contamination is cleaned up, the community will work to develop a pocket park, which may include a play area for children, a half basketball court, paths, benches, and landscaping. EPA Region 10 Applicant Name: State of Washington Local Partner: City of Tacoma Date of Selection: June 2002 Profile: The State of Washington will work with the City of Tacoma to assess and clean up petroleum contamination from underground storage tanks at the Tacoma Gas Station Park site. Contacts: EPA Region 10 Wally Moon (206) 553-6903 Washington State Department of Ecology Mike Blum (360) 407-6262 For further information, go to www.epa.gov/oust/ EPA USTfields INITIATIVE EPA has not yet negotiated the Cooperative Agreements with states and tribes to fund these pilots; therefore, activities are subject to change. ------- |