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/ ------- 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 ------- |