United States
                       Environmental
                       Protection Agency
                       Washington, D.C. 20460
  Solid Waste
  and Emergency
  Response (5101)
  EPA 500-F-97-067
  May 1997
                       Regional   Brownfields
                       Assessment  Pilot
                                                                 Provo,  UT
  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. Between 1995 and 1996, EPA funded 76 National and Regional Brownfields
Assessment Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of brownfields
solutions. EPAis funding morethan 27 Pilots in 1997. The Pilots 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 Region 8 selected the Provo City Ironton Eco-
nomic  Redevelopment Project for a Regional
Brownfields Pilot. The Ironton site is a former steel
mill that constitutes the largest tract of undeveloped
and non-utilized property in the City. Preliminary
testing has revealed the presence of poly cyclic aro-
matic hydrocarbons and heavy metals at the site.
Provo City has entered into a cooperative agreement
with USX Steel Corporation, a party potentially re-
sponsible  for some of the contamination, for site
characterization and remediation. USX Steel Corpo-
ration has entered into a voluntary agreement with the
Utah Department of Environmental Quality for over-
sight of the project.

Redevelopment of the former steel mill site and
surrounding property has been blocked by the concerns
over contamination  and possible  environmental
liability. While areas surrounding this site have been
developed, this property remains a blight on the
surrounding  community. The City estimated that it
loses property taxes of over $130,000 each year the
site remains  abandoned.
  PILOT SNAPSHOT
     Provo, Utah
Contacts:

Robert West
Provo City, Utah
(801)379-6140
                     Date of Award:
                     September 1996

                     Amount: $200,000

                     Site Profile: The Pilot
                     targets the  Ironton Site, a
                     338-acre steel mill
                     abandoned since 1962.
                     Preliminary testing
                     indicates heavy metals
                     and other contaminants.
U.S. EPA-Region I
(303)312-6019
                                                      Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at:
                                                      http://www.epa.gov/brownfieids

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The objectives of this Pilot are to develop a coopera-
tive approach between Federal, State, and local gov-
ernment, prior property owners, and businesses for
developing the site into a community industrial busi-
ness park. The Provo City Ironton Project is working
to create  a  clean  and environmentally sensitive
development project and address environmental jus-
tice concerns for the surrounding community.  The
redevelopment of the Ironton site will provide em-
ployment opportunities for the community's local
residents, increase surrounding property values, and
increase the  City's tax base.

                    AND
Experience with the Provo Pilot has been a catalyst
for related activities including the following.

* Coordinating remediation  and redevelopment
 activities with other ongoing activities in the area to
 leverage additional resources from the State. Federal,
 and local level governments, as well as from private
 property owners and businesses.

* Initiated preparations for a study regarding  the
 economic development possibilities of the Ironton
 Site.  The study will be completed by  Brigham
 Young University in cooperation with the City.
The Pilot has:

* Submitted a site characterization report to Provo
 City and the Utah Department of Environmental
 Quality; and

* Completed site  investigation  and laboratory
 analytical reports.

The Pilot is:

* Developing a comprehensive zoning and land use
 review;

* Creating a comprehensive base map of the site;

• Developing an inventory of the infrastructure and
 other physical resources available at the site;

* Forming oversight and advisory committees of local
 community stakeholders and interested parties, to
 be chaired by the Mayor's office;

* Seeking community input to the  remediation and
 redevelopment  plans for  the  site through
 neighborhood association meetings and  personal
 contacts;

• Developing a master plan for redevelopment of the
 site, including low-income housing, green space, and
 amenities; and

• Providing outreach to all affected parties including
 property owners and neighboring communities.
 Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot
 May 1997
                                    Provo, Utah
                               EPA 500-F-97-067

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