Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet
* Portland Development Commission, OR
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 Portland Development Commission was selected to
receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The Commission is
targeting its cleanup efforts in designated renewal areas
within the City of Portland (population 550,396). The
site targeted for cleanup is located in the 659-acre
Gateway Regional Center Urban Renewal Area in east
Portland. The area occupies one of the most strategic
locations in the city at the convergence of several
freeway corridors, rail transit lines, and bus lines. A
significant portion of this area is vacant and underused
land with an industrial past. The current mix of uses
includes fragmented housing areas with interspersed
industrial and commercial facilities and limited
recreational facilities. Incomes in the area are well
below the city average, and the unemployment rate is
9.3 percent. When the target Gateway Neighborhood
Park site is cleaned up, the Commission plans to reuse it
as a signature park. Creation of the park is expected to
contribute to the success of the Gateway Renewal Area,
increase property values, and attract private investment
to the area.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Portland Development
Commission for a brownfields cleanup grant.
Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
clean up the Gateway Neighborhood Park at
10506-10512 and 10520 NE Halsey Street. The
4.2-acre site was formerly a dry cleaner and a
bowling alley, and is contaminated with
perchloroethene and trichloroethene. Grant funds
also will be used to support 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 10 Brownfields Team
(206)553-7299
EPA Region 10 Brownfields Web site
(http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/CLEANUP.NSF/
sites/bf)
Grant Recipient: Portland Development
Commission,OR
(503) 823-4579
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-09-082
May 09
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