Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant
Fact Sheet
Oakland, CA
RECOYUH.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. In
2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed. 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
both laws in Fiscal Year 2009, 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 Oakland was selected to receive three
brownfields assessment grants. Oakland (population
399,484) includes commercial and industrial zones that
comprise more than 8,000 acres, with 1,000 acres of
confirmed or potential brownfields. During the past 20
years, many manufacturing jobs have been lost due to
plant closings and relocations, leaving behind unused
and underutilized sites. These sites can become blighted
and expose residents to contamination. The city has a
large minority population. Thirty-six percent of
residents are African-American, 22 percent are
Hispanic, and 15 percent are Asian. Oakland is
focusing its community-wide assessment efforts in the
West Oakland Development Area, one of the most
blighted areas of the city. Many residential
communities are located next to heavy industrial and
commercial facilities. Almost 75 percent of West
Oakland Development Area residents are minorities,
and 19 percent of residents live below the poverty level.
Community-wide brownfield assessments are expected
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
(Recovery Act Funding)
$200,000 for petroleum (Recovery Act
Funding)
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Oakland for three
brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
perform three Phase I and five Phase II
environmental site assessments, conduct risk
assessments, and support community outreach
activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to
conduct the same tasks at sites with potential
petroleum contamination. Site-specific hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to perform eight
Phase I and four Phase II environmental site
assessments at the Foothill/Seminary site at Foothill
Boulevard and Seminary Avenue. The two-acre site
has 11 parcels that have been used for various
commercial activities, including a dry cleaner,
printer, and auto repair garage. Grant funds also will
be used to support 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 9 Brownfields Team
(415) 972-3091
EPA Region 9 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region9/brownfields)
Grant Recipient: City of Oakland,CA
(510)238-6361
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
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA560-F-09-116
May 09
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to provide information about tile extent ot subject to change
contamination at priority sites and facilitate their
cleanup and redevelopment. Assessment of the
Foothill/Seminary site is expected to help the city
redevelop the site into a mixed-use area that will
include additional housing and retail space.
United States Q ., . ,A/__t,.
E™r°nmental and EmSency EPA 56°-
Protection Agency ResDonse(51oVn May 09
Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (bl Ob I)
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