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Brownfields 2007
Grant Fact Sheet
WestAllis, Wl
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 West Allis was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. WestAllis (population
61,254) is a first-ring industrial suburb of Milwaukee.
Since 1979, the city has experienced a loss of residents
and thousands of manufacturing jobs, and a significant
drop in the average wage. The unemployment rate in
West Allis is consistently lower than Milwaukee's, and
the area continues to lag behind in per capita income
growth. At the same time, the city has been left with a
large corridor of industrial properties that have experi-
enced disinvestment, deterioration, and environmen-
tally compromised conditions. At least 372
brownfields have been identified in the city. Many
have impacted groundwater and area waterways. There
are 35 leaking underground storage tanks, six aban-
doned gas stations, and six other petroleum sites in the
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of West Allis for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to conduct up to five Phase I
and three to five Phase II environmental site assess-
ments in five targeted redevelopment areas. Petro-
leum grant funds will be used to conduct up to ten
Phase I and three to five Phase II environmental site
assessments in five targeted redevelopment areas.
Funds from both grants also will be used for commu-
nity 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 5 Brownfields Team
312-886-7576
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
Grant Recipient: City of West Allis, WI
414-302-8468
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.
city. The city is focusing its assessment efforts in five
redevelopment areas within industrial corridors,
residential neighborhoods, and commercial districts.
Brownfields redevelopment will create new jobs, add
to the tax base, and provide environmentally sustain-
able development.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-07-190
May 2007
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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