Brownfields 2003 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
               Oakley, CA
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
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.

Community Description

The City of Oakley was selected to receive an
assessment grant. Oakley is located in the eastern
portion of Contra Costa County, along the shore of the
San Joaquin River Delta. It is a small city (population
25,600) with a large percentage of minorities. The city
has a history of being associated with heavy industry
and unsightly operations, such as junkyards. The city is
targeting several areas where brownfields are
concentrated, including the Western Entryway, the
Downtown Area, and Southern Main  Street. Sites being
considered for assessment in these areas include a
seven-acre parcel proposed for development into a
civic center, a former chemical plant site that will
remain undeveloped for wetlands and recreational use,
and a 20-acre commercial parcel. All  of these sites are
in low-income neighborhoods. Improvements in these
areas will increase access to recreational areas, support
businesses along commercial corridors, and improve the
overall quality of life for current residents.
                   Assessment Grant

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances

                   EPA has selected the City of Oakley for a
                   brownfields assessment grant. The city is focusing
                   on several areas of the city, including the Western
                   Entryway, the Downtown Area, and Southern Main
                   Street. Grant funds will be used to inventory and
                   prioritize sites in these areas, conduct Phase I and
                   Phase II assessments of sites suspected to be
                   contaminated with hazardous substances, and
                   support community outreach.

                   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: Oakley, CA
                   (925) 625-7000

                   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)
EPA500-F-03-153
        Jun 03

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