•    Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
               Ellensburg, WA
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 Ellensburg was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in central
Washington, Ellensburg (population 17,230) became a
hub of commerce and transportation in 1886 after the
arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad. More than a
century of industrial activity has resulted in an
estimated 10 to 20 brownfield sites in the city, including
former mills, and chemical manufacturing and
agricultural supply businesses. Many identified
brownfields border the Yakima River and the six
tributaries that run through and under the city, raising
concerns about potential water contamination. More
than 34 percent of Ellensburg's residents live below the
poverty level, and the city has a significantly lower
median household income than the statewide average.
Brownfield assessments are expected to help the city
identify cleanup activities needed to remove potential
sources of contamination and redevelop sites to provide
affordable housing in the community.
                   Assessment Grants

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances
                   $200,000 for petroleum

                   EPA has selected the City of Ellensburg for two
                   brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                   hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                   identify brownfield sites and conduct 10 Phase I and
                   four Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant
                   funds also will be used to conduct community
                   outreach activities. Petroleum grant funds will be
                   used to conduct the same tasks 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 10 Brownfields Team
                   (206)553-7299
                   EPA Region 10 Brownfields Web site
                   (http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/CLEANUP.NSF/
                   sites/bf)

                   Grant Recipient: City of Ellensburg,WA
                   509-962-7231

                   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-128-128
         May 11

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