Brownfields 2009  Assessment Grant
               Fact Sheet
               Oklahoma City, OK
                                                        REC(M(H.GBV
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
February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed
into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to
jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of
jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the
Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and
clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under
this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to
eligible applicants through four competitive grant
programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund
grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants.

Community Description

The City of Oklahoma City was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Oklahoma City
(population 547,274) in central Oklahoma is focusing
its assessment efforts on its 19-square-mile
Empowerment Zone (EZ), which surrounds the
downtown's central business district. Prolonged
disinvestment in the EZ has left more than 100 potential
brownfields. Many vacant structures, undeveloped
lands, and former industrial sites are  located next to
schools, playgrounds, parks, and residences. The
unemployment rate in the EZ is more than double that
of the city as a whole, and 40 percent of residents live
below the poverty level. The median household income
within the EZ is nearly half that of the city and state
median levels. Brownfield assessments are expected to
expedite cleanup of sites, and help the city reach its
goal of creating a vibrant and sustainable downtown
and a mile -long park on the shore of the Oklahoma
River.
                   Assessment Grants
                   $200,000 for hazardous substances
                   (Recovery Act Funding)
                   $200,000 for petroleum (Recovery Act
                   Funding)

                   EPA has selected the City of Oklahoma City for two
                   brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                   hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                   conduct four Phase I and three to four Phase II
                   environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant
                   funds will be used to conduct five Phase I and six
                   Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds
                   also will be used to conduct cleanup planning and
                   community outreach activities.

                   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 6 Brownfields Team
                   (214) 665-6780
                   EPA Region 6 Brownfields Web site
                   (http://www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields)

                   Grant Recipient: City of Oklahoma City
                   (405) 297-1740

                   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 560-F-09-069
        May 09

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