5
              o

  Brownfields 2007

  Grant Fact Sheet

             Fremont

      Redevelopment

          Agency,  CA


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 Fremont Redevelopment Agency was selected to
receive a brownfields cleanup grant.  Located near the
central California coast just southeast of San Francisco
Bay, Fremont (population 210,387) is redeveloping its
historic Niles District. This once vibrant commercial
district with a rich railroad heritage has experienced a
decline in rail traffic and agricultural and industrial
employment. Niles Square, an abandoned rail yard, is
one of about 276 known contaminated sites that
impede economic development in Fremont. The

 Cleanup Grant
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 EPA has selected the Fremont Redevelopment
 Agency for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazard-
 ous substances grant funds will be used to clean
 up the 5.3-acre Niles Square property at 37592
 Niles Boulevard. Previous assessments of the
 property have found elevated levels of heavy
 metals and co-mingled petroleum products in the
 soil.
 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 9 Brownfields Team
 415-972-3092
 http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/
 index.html
 Grant Recipient: Fremont Redevelopment Agency,
 CA
 510-494-4438
 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.
majority of Fremont residents speak a language other
than English at home. Post-cleanup redevelopment
plans for the Niles Square site include a central plaza
with mixed-use retail and new and affordable housing
units. The envisioned plaza would serve as a commu-
nity gathering place that attracts investment and new
jobs, and enhances tax revenues.
                                                Solid Waste and
                                                Emergency Response
                                                (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-07-055
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

-------