LAND REVITALIZATION FACT SHEET
URBAN AGRICULTURE
Long-term shifts in manufacturing
industries across the country left
many inner-city properties va-
cant and potentially contaminated.
This was intensified recently by a
distressed real estate market that in-
creased the inventory of vacant city
properties. These trends contribute to
the creation of "urban food deserts"
where low-income communities have
limited access to supermarkets and
the fresh foods needed to maintain
a healthy diet. In response, commu-
nities across the country are turn-
ing brownfields and vacant lots into
safe community gardens and urban
farms.
The benefits that urban agriculture
projects bring to many communities
are tremendous. Urban agriculture
reuses provide a local source of fresh
healthy food, increase surrounding
property values, reduce environ-
mental hazards, create biologically
diverse habitats, reduce stormwater
runoff, create jobs, promote physi-
cal activity, increase community
connections, and attract additional
economic activity.
Urban agricultural projects range
from small public and private com-
munity gardens to larger-scale urban
farms and orchards. In addition to
growing fresh produce, urban agricul-
tural projects are producing herbs,
spices, honey, and livestock. Urban
agriculture also includes growing
crops for animal feed, landscaping,
flower gardens, oil, fragrance, dye,
biofuel, and fiber.
Urban agriculture projects require
healthy, uncontaminated soils. When
growing food on brownfields or other
potentially contaminated sites, in
addition to traditional soil testing, it is
critical to assess whether contamina-
NEW ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
EPA's land revitalization initiatives are producing significant environmen-
tal benefits and helping to transform communities into more sustainable
and livable places. The strategy of encouraging market-driven rede-
velopment of brownfields and other contaminated sites for economic
reuse is proving to be a successful approach at many sites. However,
challenging real estate markets and economic realities can leave
some formerly contaminated properties unused, possibly for a long
time. New approaches are needed to revitalize these sites and protect
human health and the environment.
EPA's Land Revitalization Team is working with communities, states, other
federal agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and
the private sector to develop and test new approaches that recognize
valuable reuse alternatives for formerly contaminated properties. Build-
ing green infrastructure to help manage stormwater runoff and floods,
promoting safe soil management to support urban agriculture, and sit-
ing renewable energy on contaminated sites can bring environmental,
ecological, and social benefits to communities. Unlocking the potential
value of these underused properties often requires creativity and close
collaboration with many public and private partners. These projects
can help stabilize communities and spur economic development.
tion problems are likely. This involves
researching past activities and
testing soils for likely contaminants.
Addressing contamination through
cleanup or the use of raised beds
and other growing techniques will
ensure that produce is safe for con-
sumption.
EPA is working with urban agriculture
stakeholders, including other federal
agencies, state and local govern-
ments, community-based nonprofits,
and university researchers to address
the challenges to reusing contami-
nated sites for urban agriculture.
EPA delivered several webinars that
describe the policies and the state
of knowledge on the reuse of con-
taminated sites for urban agriculture
projects. Also, in October 2010, EPA
held a Brownfields and Urban Agri-
culture Reuse Midwestern Summit in
Chicago to explore approaches for
safely developing urban agriculture
projects on contaminated sites.
EPA is working with communities
throughout the U.S. on a range of
projects to encourage the safe and
sustainable reuse of brownfields and
other formerly contaminated sites
for urban agriculture. Projects range
from small community gardens culti-
vated by neighborhood residents to
self-sustaining urban farms, such as
those proposed in Toledo, Ohio, and
New Orleans, Louisiana.
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REVITALIZATION OF THE FERNWOOD GREEN DISTRICT IN TOLEDO, OHIO
The City of Toledo and its partners
are using urban agriculture as one of
the major redevelopment strategies
for a newly designated future green
district containing multiple brownfield
properties. The city plans to reuse a
two-acre, former spark plug manu-
facturing site as the location of the
Fernwood Growing Center. The site
is within a Brownfields Impact Area
along the Detroit-Smead Corridor,
which contains 19 brownfields and
nearly 200 vacant lots. This corridor
runs through one of Toledo's housing
priority districts, where there is a high
rate of poverty. Residents report that
the closest source of fresh produce is
over two miles away.
With the help of EPA funding and
technical assistance from Region 5,
the green district pilot project will be
completed in two phases. Phase one
focused on the development of a busi-
ness planning tool that can be used as
a framework by all communities inter-
ested in urban agriculture projects. This
tool will help assess the infrastructure,
tasks, relationships, and costs required
to create a sustainable urban agricul-
ture project. Phase two will evaluate
opportunities for urban agriculture
and other sustainable development
projects that will form the foundation
of a "green district." Reuse of the sites
within the Detroit-Smead Corridor will
spur an overall revitalization of the
Potential layout of the Fernwood
Growing Center.
area, improve environmental quality,
provide career opportunities for local
residents, improve access to nutritious
food, and provide the neighborhood
with a new optimism.
PROPOSED VIET VILLAGE URBAN FARM IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
EPA Region 6 is working with the
Mary Queen of Vietnam Community
Development Corporation (MQVN
CDC) transform a 20-acre brownfield
into an urban farm. The proposed
Viet Village Urban Farm will include
community gardens, commercial
agriculture, a livestock area, and a
produce market, as well as commu-
nity facilities everyone can use. The
project will use organic and sustain-
able farming practices to minimize
water and energy use.
EPA Region 6 is helping the MQVN
CDC plan for the cleanup of site
contamination and obtain a wet-
lands permit from the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers for 18 acres of the site.
The City of New Orleans conducted
Phase I and Phase II environmental
site assessments at the property. Site
cleanup will be conducted under
MORE INFORMATION:
Louisiana's Voluntary Cleanup Pro-
gram. MQVN CDC is working with a
local bank to acquire funding to cover
wetland mitigation costs. Assessment
and cleanup of site soils are essential
to ensure that any produce grown
there is safe to eat.
MQVN CDC developed a business
plan to ensure the sustainability of the
project, which includes selling produce
to schools and a local restaurant. Their
plan is to start small and expand after
meeting wetlands permit requirements
and addressing environmental con-
tamination. When completed, the Viet
Village Urban Farm will be a model for
other communities interested in devel-
oping urban gardens and farms on
brownfields or other contaminated sites.
In the event that MQVN CDC is unable
to address both the wetlands permit
and cleanup of brownfield property
\Example of an urban agricultural site.
with limited funds, alternative brown-
fields will be considered for a future
urban farm in New Orleans East. EPA
Region 6 will work with MQVN CDC
to provide resources for assessment
and cleanup (if necessary) through
the City of New Orleans Brownfields
Program and Louisiana's Brownfields
Revolving Loan Fund for alternative
brownfields.
Visit ERA's urban agriculture website at http://www.epa.qov/brownfields/urbanaq/
Visit ERA's Land Revitalization program website at http://www.epa.qov/landrevitalization/
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-11-009
April 2011
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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