5 o T> Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet Springfield, MO 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 Springfield was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant and a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. Springfield (population 151,580) will be targeting the Jordan Valley planning area, which includes the center city, downtown, and the West Central Neighborhood, one of the oldest and most economically depressed areas of the city. This area's economy has traditionally depended on indus- trial, manufacturing, and commercial businesses. The decline in these businesses has left vacant, abandoned, and underused sites with potential environmental problems. There are close to 200 acres of former industrial and commercial properties to be assessed in the area. The median household income of target area residents is 42 percent below the city average. More than 29 percent of residents live below the poverty Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Springfield for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to inventory sites, perform 15 Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments, and support community outreach activities at sites located within the Jordan Valley planning area. Revolving Loan Fund Grant ^New1 L2007J $1,000,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Springfield for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the City of Springfield will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Grant funds also will be used to support commu- nity involvement 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 7 Brownfields Team 800-223-0425 http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brownfields/ index.htm Grant Recipient: City of Springfield, MO 417-864-1092 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-07-165 May 2007 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- level, and ten percent are unemployed. Assessment of brownfields will help increase public awareness and understanding of brownfields, and ultimately will help eliminate environmental and human health threats by encouraging redevelopment. The city plans to rede- velop the target area as open space with wetlands, a stormwater detention basin, and nature and transporta- tion trails. ------- |