5 o T> Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments 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 Association of South Central Oklahoma Govern- ments (ASCOG) was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. ASCOG represents a consortium of eight counties, 72 communities, and ten conservation districts with a combined population of 284,303. The ASCOG region is primarily rural, with an agriculture- based economy. Increased gas, diesel, and fertilizer prices; years of drought; and wildfires in 2006 have severely impacted the agriculture industry. The average poverty rate in the region is 17 percent, and the unemployment rate in some counties is as high as eight percent. Over the past two decades, the popula- Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to conduct about 12 to 18 Phase I and three to nine Phase II environmental site assessments at sites in the ASCOG region. Grant funds also will be used to support community outreach 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 6 Brownfields Team 214-665-6780 http://www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields Grant Recipient: Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments 580-252-0595 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. tion in the rural counties has declined by 30 to 50 percent. There are few job opportunities for the area's Hispanic population. To date, 128 brownfields sites have been inventoried. They range from a large 140- acre refinery complex to individual structures. Assess- ment of brownfields will help allay the concerns about potential health risks posed by the sites, and pave the way for cleanup and revitalization. Brownfields redevelopment is expected to attract new industry, create much-needed jobs, and increase the local tax base in ASCOG's communities. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-07-010 May 2007 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |