Brownfields 2010 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet ™ Fo/t Pierce Redevelopment Agency, FL 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 Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency was selected to receive three brownfields cleanup grants. Located in St. Lucie County, Fort Pierce (population 37,516) has seen property values decline by nearly 50 percent in the last year. Over the past three years, the Agency's budget has been cut almost in half. The targeted power plant sites are in an area with 52 contaminated sites, or one quarter of all the contaminated sites in St. Lucie County. The presence of these brownfields in such a small area has deterred investment. The poverty and unemployment rates in the area are high. The area also contains the highest percentages of minority residents in Fort Pierce. The plant is located behind the city marina and borders on Moore's Creek, which flows directly into the Indian River Lagoon and is near the Fort Pierce inlet. Cleanup of the sites will reduce potential threats and is expected to facilitate redevelopment of the area as the Atocha Village, a $30-to-$40-million dollar project with a four-star hotel and retail and residential spaces. This redevelopment is expected to create more than 100 full-time jobs and serve as a catalyst for economic revitalization in the downtown Fort Pierce area. Cleanup Grants $600,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency for three brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the H.D. King Power Plant main site at 311 North Indian River Drive. The plant, demolished in 2009, started as a wood-fired steam plant in 1912 and was replaced with an electric generating plant in the 1930s. Site soil is contaminated with PCBs and metals, and groundwater contains vinyl chloride, isopropylbenzene, and metals. Grant funds also will be used to clean up two H.D. King Power Plant supporting sites at 235 N. 2nd Street and 101 Avenue C. The property at 235 N. 2nd Street served as the location of the plant's cooling towers and chemical storage building. Site soil is contaminated with arsenic and chromium. The supporting site at 101 Avenue C originally was used as a hotel through the 1950s and 1960s. The property was last used as a transformer yard and a natural gas yard. Area soil has been impacted by metals, and groundwater contains methylphenol and metals. 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: Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency,FL 772-460-2200 ext 277 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 United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-10-070 Apr 10 ------- subject to change. United States Q ., . ,A/__t,. E-ironmental andEmXency EPA ^ Protection Agency Resoonse (51 Q5Ti Apr 1 ° Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (bl Ob I) ------- |