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  Brownfields  2008

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

        Pine Bluff,  AR


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 Pine Bluff was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in southeast
Arkansas, Pine Bluff (population 55,085) lies in the
heart of a rich agricultural area and also has a diverse
industrial base. This base includes industries producing
metal, electrical equipment, and paper products.  Due to
suburban sprawl and a declining population, this once
thriving city along the Arkansas River has lost several
industrial and commercial businesses, particularly
within the city's central sector. About 66 percent of
Pine Bluffs residents are African-American, and the
city's unemployment rate is 8.2 percent. Brownfields
are a blighting influence on the city's lower-income
areas. Assessment of brownfields is expected to revive
interest in real estate development and construction.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the City of Pine Bluff for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to conduct a
brownfields inventory and up to 18 Phase I and up
to three Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant funds also will be used to support community
outreach activities. Petroleum grant funds will be
used to conduct the same tasks at sites with
potential petroleum contamination.
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 6 Brownfields Team
214-665-6780
http://www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields

Grant Recipient: City of Pine Bluff, AR
870-543-1820

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.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                        EPA560-F-08-148
                        April 2008
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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