United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response(5101)
EPA500-F-99-143
June 1999
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
SEPA
Brownf ields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
South Bend, IN
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and
sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and
an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models;job training
pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected
by brownfieldstofacilitatecleanupofbrownfieldssites and preparetrainees for future employmentintheenvironmental
field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds
to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states,
tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods
to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
EPA has selected the City of South Bend for a
Brownfields Pilot. The city (population 105,536) is
located in northern Indiana along the St. Joseph River.
While the surrounding county' s population has grown
in the last thirty years, the city's population has
declined as changes in production, high labor costs,
and transportation improvements resulted in
manufacturers abandoning their factories for other
locations. In 1960, manufacturing jobs accounted for
about 60 percent of the city's workforce, while they
accounted for only 20 percent in 1990.
Recently, South Bend began redevelopment planning
and infrastructure improvements for three commercial
corridors—South Gateway, Lincolnway West, and
Western Avenue—that have suffered as commercial
activity has declined. The city is also planning for
cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields located in
or near the corridors.
OBJECTIVES
The Pilot's objective is to facilitate the revitalization
of the three commercial corridors by identifying the
brownfields along the corridors, performing
environmental assessments, developing a plan for
PILOTSNAPSHOT
South Bend, Indiana
Contacts:
City of South Bend
Office of Community and
Economic Development
(219) 235-5827
Dateof Announcement:
June 1999
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets
brownfields in the city's South
Gateway, Lincolnway West,
and Western Avenue
commercial corridors.
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 5
(312)353-3161
Visit the EPA Region 5 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, and
implementing public outreach strategies. The Pilot
will be implemented consistent with the city's overall
development goals, including developing a vigorous
business climate, creating investment and employee
opportunities, increasing the tax base, and preserving
farmland. As part of this multi-project strategy, the
Pilot will focus on smaller brownfields to build
momentum and capacity for addressing the city's
larger brownfields in the future.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS ANDACTIVITIES
• Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Identifying a priority list of brownfields for
assessment;
• Conducting up to 15 Phase I environmental
assessments on brownfields within the three
commercial corridors;
• Conducting Phase II assessments as needed; and
• Implementing a public outreach strategy.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot South Bend, Indiana
June 1999 EPA500-F-99-143
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