Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Fremont, NE 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 Fremont was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located in northeastern Nebraska, Fremont's (population 25,174) economy has been based on agriculture. The city was the site of the first transcontinental telegraph line, railroad, and highway. It is still an agribusiness community that includes manufacturing, retail businesses, and colleges. Recent industry closings in the food processing sector have resulted in several hundred job losses. The city's geography makes it difficult to find property for business expansion and growth. Most of the property north and east of the city lies in the floodplain of the Elkhorn River, which regularly becomes blocked with winter ice floes and floods. The southern edge of Fremont is bounded by the Platte River. City residents rely solely on groundwater as their drinking water source, and contamination at the target site has the potential to negatively impact groundwater. When the target site is cleaned up, the city plans to reuse it to expand an adjacent business park and to connect to the city's recreational trail system. Site redevelopment and reuse are expected to provide businesses with space to grow, create new jobs, and increase property values. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Fremont for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the Izaak Walton Trap Range at 20th Avenue and Christensen Field Road. The 17-acre site is a former trap shooting range and is contaminated with metals. Grant funds also will be used to support community involvement 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 7 Brownfields Team (800) 223-0425 EPA Region 7 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brown fields) Grant Recipient: City of Fremont,NE (402) 727-2630 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-09-193 May 09 ------- |