Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Conneaut, OH 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 Conneaut was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Located on Lake Erie at the northeast tip of Ohio, Conneaut (population 12,357) was one of the world's largest international coal and ore shipping ports, dating back to the 1800s. By the mid-1970s, plant closings resulted in unemployment and left behind more than 100 acres of underused and blighted property. In 2008, an electric illuminating company announced that it would close, thereby increasing unemployment. The shipping yards that once employed 500 now struggle to employ 30 people. Historical tanneries, fisheries, and machine shops have contaminated the downtown industrial area. Per capita income for city residents is $14,703. Assessment of brownfields is expected to catalyze site cleanups, which in turn are expected to provide incentives for businesses to locate and prosper in the downtown, harbor, and Route 20 Corridor areas. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Conneaut for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory and prioritize Conneaut's brownfields, conduct six to eight Phase I and two to three Phase II environmental site assessments, prepare cleanup plans, and 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 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields) Grant Recipient: City of Conneaut,OH (440)593-7416 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-09-234 May 09 ------- |