^ Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet
Rock Hil1' sc
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 Rock Hill was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Rock Hill (population
49,765) once had an economy that was largely
supported by the textile industry. The decline of this
industry left the city with large, vacant, and
contaminated mill properties. The Hagins Fewell
neighborhood is one of Rock Hill's most historic
communities, which began as a mill village associated
with the targeted Arcade Mill site. The loss of the mill
in 1997 destroyed the community's major employment
center. Over the past decade, real and perceived site
contamination has hindered investment in the
community. The average household income in the area
is significantly lower than the city or county averages,
and 84 percent of residents are African-American. Site
cleanup will substantially reduce threats to human
health and the environment, and pave the way for the
city to move forward with plans to build four to six
affordable single-family homes along the eastern half of
Blackwell Street. This redevelopment is expected to
spur new investment in additional housing on 27
adjacent properties.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Rock Hill for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the five-acre
Arcade Mill site at 7 Blackwell Street. The mill
opened in 1887 and operated primarily as a textile
manufacturing facility until it burned down in 1997.
The site is contaminated with chlorinated solvents,
semi-volatile organic compounds, and polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons. Grant funds will be used for
cleanup planning, soil removal, and installation of a
combined cap and vegetative cover on the site.
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: City of Rock Hill,SC
(803)326-3817
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-09-099
May 09
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