Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Snelby County, TN 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 to help states and communities around the country cleanup and revitalize brownfields sites. Under this 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 Shelby County was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. The county (population 916,744) plans to address brownfields in a 25-mile-long, two-mile-wide corridor along the Wolf River. Much of this area was originally developed for residential use interspersed with heavy industry. Neighborhood industries from the early 1900s to the 1980s were hardwood lumber mills and associated manufacturing product firms, tire production, chemical manufacturing, and warehouses. Declines in these industries led to significant disinvestment and unemployment. There are more than 100 acres of brownfields and potential brownfields in the target area, most of which are abandoned industrial sites. Poverty rates in the target area range from 20.9 to 35.6 percent, and the area"s median household income is substantially lower than the state"s. Shelby County is working with public and private sector partners on the Sustainable Shelby initiative, which aims to advance environmentally sustainable development. Brownfield assessments are expected to move this initiative forward and leverage cleanup and redevelopment opportunities in the target area. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected Shelby County for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to establish and maintain a registry of brownfield sites, conduct 10 Phase I and three Phase II environmental site assessments, and support community outreach activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct the same tasks at sites with potential petroleum contamination. 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 4 Brownfields Team (404) 562-8792 EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site (http: //www. epa.gov/region4/waste/bf) Grant Recipient: Shelby County,TN 901-576-7199 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-10-086 Apr 10 ------- |