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Brownfields 2007
Grant Fact Sheet
El Paso, TX
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 El Paso was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. El Paso (population
598,590) is located in west Texas along the U.S.-
Mexico border. About 77 percent of residents are
minorities. Although this desert city is not heavily
industrialized, El Paso has at least 82 known
brownfields sites, including rail yards, steel mills, light
manufacturing and metal plating plants, auto repair
shops, and gasoline stations. These brownfields
typically date back to the 1930s and 1940s. Suburban
sprawl has left the urban core underused and impover-
ished. This area has been designated as a federal
Empowerment Zone. Brownfields and a meager tax
base have hampered redevelopment. The city's poverty
rate exceeds 27 percent, and unemployment is above
statewide and national averages. Assessment funds
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of El Paso for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to conduct
community outreach activities and perform 11
Phase I and five Phase II environmental site
assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used
to perform 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 El Paso, TX
915-565-2602
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.
will help bolster the city's downtown redevelopment
projects and give momentum to recent development
plans that will create jobs, enhance the tax base, and
preserve greenspace.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-07-045
May 2007
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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