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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Toa Baja, PR
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 Municipality of Toa Baja was selected to receive
two brownfields assessment grants. Toa Baja (popula-
tion 94,085) is located on Puerto Rico's northern coast.
The municipality's poverty rate is over 39 percent, and
more than 29 percent of families have an income of
less than $ 10,000 per year. Many low-income families
live in environmentally sensitive areas subject to
flooding during heavy rain events. The municipality has
a number of abandoned properties, deteriorated
structures, and illegal dump sites. Assessments made
through these grant funds will be a first step toward
reducing exposure to contaminants at selected sites,
and redeveloping sites throughout the municipality.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Municipality of Toa Baja for
two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to perform
approximately six Phase I and five Phase II
environmental site assessments, prepare a site
inventory, and conduct community outreach
activities. 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 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4309
http://www.epa.gov/region2/brownfields
Grant Recipient: Municipality of Toa Baja, PR
787-261-0202, ext. 2426
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)
EPA 560-F-08-047
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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