5 o T> Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, LLC, New Orleans, LA 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 Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, LLC (Jericho Road), was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The Central City area (population 18,993) of New Orleans (population 223,388) devel- oped in the 19th Century to accommodate the city's early growth and provide housing to immigrants and working class families. Until the 1950s, Central City was a racially mixed, working-class neighborhood with a thriving commercial corridor. Since then, the neigh- borhood has been in decline. This situation has resulted in blight and vacant and abandoned properties. About 87 percent of Central City residents are African- Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, LLC, for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the Saratoga Street Incinerator site at 2941 South Saratoga Street in New Orleans' Central City neighborhood. In addition to incinera- tor operations, the site also served as a solid waste transfer station. Site soil is contaminated with volatile organic compounds, metals, PCBs, and dioxins. 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: Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, LLC, LA 504-251-6014 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. American. Nearly 50 percent of the population lives in poverty. Twenty-four of the city's 286 listed brownfields are in Central City. The Saratoga Street Incinerator site, surrounded on three sides by residen- tial properties, is one of Central City's largest brownfields. Once cleanup is complete, Jericho Road plans to develop the site with single-family residences and a community garden. Cleanup of this site is expected to reduce environmental contamination and lead to an increase in the city's tax base. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-08-151 April 2008 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |