Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority, AL 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 Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The targeted former Ingalls Iron Works (Trinity Industries, Inc., facility) is located in Jefferson County (population 658,779). It is in the Titusville community (population 7,326), a historic African-American neighborhood of Birmingham. The currently vacant target site began operations in the early 1900s. For over 90 years, the site was a key employer and economic engine in the community. When the company left, Titusville experienced a continuing economic decline. Over the past few years, many Titusville residents have left to seek jobs and services elsewhere. Titusville has a 13.3 percent unemployment rate, and 40 percent of families in the area earn less than $15,000 annually. Cleanup of the target site will reduce threats to human health and the environment posed by the site, and facilitate its reuse. The Authority is currently marketing the site to retail and commercial developers. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the former Ingalls Iron Works (Trinity Industries, Inc., Facility) at 6th Street South and Golden Flake Drive in Birmingham. The site is a former steel fabricating and equipment repair facility. Site surface soils and stream sediments are contaminated with metals, and subsurface soils are contaminated with semi-volatile organic compounds. Grant funds also will be used to conduct health monitoring and community outreach activities. 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: Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority,AL (205) 943-4792 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) EPA560-F-09-196 May 09 ------- |