Brownfields 2001 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
Newport, KY
EPA Brownfields Initiative
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.
Background
EPA has selected the City of Newport for a Brownfields
Assessment Pilot. Newport (population 18,800) was
founded in 1791 in northern Kentucky at the confluence
of the Ohio and Licking Rivers across from Cincinnati,
Ohio. The riverfront limits the possibilities for expansion
and development. During the last 30 years, the city has
been in economic decline and its population has fallen
due to industries moving to other areas where land is
more readily available. Nearly 26 percent of the city's
residents live below the poverty line and 5.3 percent are
unemployed.
The city has identified six brownfields that have
redevelopment potential but pose potential environmental
concerns. The targeted sites include underutilized
industrial facilities and abandoned commercial
properties. The city believes that these sites may threaten
public health or the environment depending on the
presence of contaminated groundwater and soil.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 04/01/2001
Amount: $200,000
Profile: This Pilot targets six sites in the city for
assessment and redevelopment into public gardens,
housing, and retail establishments.
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: Newport, KY
(859) 292-3666
Objectives
The city plans to remove the environmental barriers
inhibiting redevelopment of the six target sites so they
can be returned to safe and productive use. The Pilot
will conduct Phase I environmental site assessments at
all six sites, prioritize the sites, and complete a Phase II
environmental site assessment, if necessary, at the
highest priority site before proceeding to other sites on
the list. The Pilot will leverage a HUD HOPE VI Public
Housing Revitalization grant awarded to the city. The
six brownfields sites are among the sites that will be
developed in the first two years of the HOPE VI
program. Redevelopment is expected to lead to the
creation of additional housing units and retail space.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Organizing technical and citizens advisory
committees to participate in a brownfields task
force:
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA500-F-01-269
Apr 01
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• Performing Phase I and, if needed, Phase II
environmental site assessments at the six target
brownfields; and
• Working with the Kentucky Department of
Environmental Protection on cleanup plans.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet
been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this
fact sheet are subject to change.
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 Q ., . ,A/__t,.
E-ironmental andEmXency EPA 50°-F-°1 ^
Protection Agency ResDonse(51oVn Apr01
Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (bl Ob I)
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