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  Brownfields  2008

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

           Newark,  NJ


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 City of Newark was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located along the
Passaic River approximately five miles west of Man-
hattan, Newark (population 266,736) is New Jersey's
largest city and home to one of the largest ports in the
nation. Throughout most of the 19th Century, Newark
was New Jersey's most important industrial city;
however, its industrial development came at a cost.
Industrial waste created a major health crisis in the
city, and Newark is still paying the price for its mighty
industrial past in the form of brownfields. There are
more than 700 acres of abandoned and underutilized
sites within the city. These sites range from large tracts
of vacant industrial land along the waterfront to small
 Assessment Grants
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 $200,000 for petroleum

 EPA has selected the City of Newark for two
 brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous sub-
 stances grant funds will be used to conduct a
 minimum of four Phase I and two Phase II envi-
 ronmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds
 will be used to develop an inventory of former gas
 stations and conduct up to 10 Phase I and four
 Phase II environmental site assessments. 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 2 Brownfields Team
 212-637-4309
 http://www.epa.gov/region2/brownfields

 Grant Recipient: City of Newark, NJ
 973-733-8506

 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.
former gas stations. Bringing the sites back to produc-
tive reuse is critical to returning prosperity to the city.
Today, Newark's unemployment rate is 12.5 percent,
and more than 24 percent of individuals live below the
poverty level. Brownfields assessment is expected to
clarify environmental concerns and help expedite
redevelopment in the city.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-08-042
                         April 2008
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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