United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-97-078 May 1997 Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot West Jordan, 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 City of West Jordan for a Regional Brownfields Pilot. The City has experi- enced severe urban blight in its core downtown area. Businesses leaving the area have left behind vacant buildings, many of which may be contaminated from past activities. Many ofthese sites representthe only zoned industrial property in the City. In order to support job creation and expansion, community revi- talization, and reverse the declining trends of this area, these brownfields must be cleaned up and converted into usable industrial and commercial prop- erty. West Jordan has, since pioneer days, been a mining, smelting, and industrial area serving the sugar, copper, lead, zinc, and silver industries. The Bingham Creek and Jordan River, bordering the targeted brownfields, have long been used as a dump site for agricultural, mining, refining, and other wastes. Pilot funding will enable the City to focus efforts on reversing economic and environmental blighting trends in the downtown area. Further efforts will support the reclamation and rehabilitation of a wide area adjacent to the river for significant scenic, recreational, and environmental benefits to West Jordan and neighboring communities. PILOT SNAPSHOT West Jordan, Utah Date of Award: September 1995 Amount: $200,000 Site Profile: The Pilot targets large areas of land bordering the Bingham Creek and Jordan River that have been abandoned or underused after years of mining, smelting, and other industrial activities. Contacts: Bob Davis West Jordan, Utah (801)569-5070 U.S. EPA-Region 8 (303)312-6803 Tom Daniels Utah Department of Environmental Quality (801)536-4090 Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfieids ------- OBJECTIVES The objective of the West Jordan Demonstration Project is to reverse economic and environmental blighting trends; increase assessed property value and private investment; increase the number and quality ofjobs; and create an attractive gate way to the City. Ultimately, the City plans to redevelop a central core area, which includes revitalizing residential and commercial property, and provide for recreational use and open space for residents. AND The Pilot has: * Established a Pilot steering committee consisting of government, business, and civic leaders that meet monthly; * Developed goals and objectives for the committee and Pilot project; * Established baseline economic data for the brownficlds project area to assist in the master plan and in measuring progress; and * Completed a Phase I survey of project area, which revealed numerous potentially contaminated sites, many of which are abandoned. The Pilot is: • Developing a master plan for the brownfields area, including sustainable recreation, historical, and light industrial developments; and • Determining appropriate remediation and mitigation strategies. Experience with the West Jordan Pilot has been a catalyst for related activities including the following. • Developed plans for the parkway development along the Jordan River within the project area. * Identified and applied for funding for brownfields property acquisition and parkway development. Proposing the use of zoning, as well as traditional financing tools, to encourage expedited redevelopment. Exploring the recycling of construction debris dumped in Bingham Creek and the tailings from sugarplants, coppermines, andindustrial steel sites. Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot May 1997 West Jordan, Utah EPA 500-F-97-078 ------- |