Brownfields 2003 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Cuyahoga Falls, OH EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states. communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Community Description The City of Cuyahoga Falls was selected to receive an assessment grant. Cuyahoga Falls (population 50,000) is located in northeastern Ohio, approximately 40 miles south of Cleveland. The land bordering the Cuyahoga River is littered with abandoned, idled, and underused facilities that are the remnants of the city's once thriving industrial base. In the past century, many manufacturers closed their antiquated plants and moved their operations and high-paying jobs to other locations. The Front Street River Corridor area, within which all of the target properties are located, has the lowest median family income in the city. Nearly a quarter of target area residents live below the poverty level, and the unemployment rate is 18 percent. Brownfields redevelopment is expected to create new jobs, housing opportunities, and recreational opportunities along the neglected riverfront. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Cuyahoga Falls for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to perform environmental assessments at sites within three city-designated redevelopment areas. These areas are located in a blighted industrial corridor adjacent to the Cuyahoga River, a National Heritage River. Grant funds also will be used to complete a citywide brownfields inventory and involve the community in land-use decisions. Contacts For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields) Grant Recipient: Cuyahoga Falls, OH, City of (330)971-8136 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 500-F-03-079 Jun 03 ------- |