• Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Danville, IL 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 The City of Danville was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Located in eastern Illinois near the Indiana border, Danville (population 32,079) grew when several major rail lines crossed the city, and coal mining and manufacturing in the area expanded. Over the past 30 years, changes in the national and global economies led to plant closures and significant declines in the city's predominantly industrial economy. Closing businesses left behind many potential brownfield sites, including abandoned manufacturing facilities, dry cleaners, and service stations. To date, the city has identified 105 suspected brownfields. Most are near residential communities with significant percentages of minority and low-income residents. The city's unemployment rate is 14.4 percent, and the family poverty rate is over 24 percent. The median household income in Danville is only two-thirds of the national median. Assessment of brownfields will help the city determine the extent of contamination at priority sites and is expected to stimulate site cleanup and reuse. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Danville for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory and prioritize brownfields, conduct 20 Phase I and eight Phase II environmental site assessments, prepare up to four cleanup plans, and monitor institutional controls. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community outreach activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct the same activities 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 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields) Grant Recipient: City of Danville, Illinois 217-431-2286 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) E PA 560-F-128-066 May 11 ------- |