Brownfields 2000 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet Fort Collins, CO EPA Brownfields Initiative 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. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields 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. Background EPA has selected the City of Fort Collins for a Brownfields Pilot. Fort Collins was also selected to receive additional funding for assessments at Brownfields properties to be used for greenspace purposes. The City of Fort Collins is situated at the eastern base of the "Front Range" of the Rocky Mountains. The Cache la Poudre River flows through the city, providing agricultural and recreational benefits to residents throughout the region. Fort Collins was founded as a military fort in 1864. This original fort site in the Downtown River Corridor and the adjacent historic district known as "Old Town" comprise a nationally designated historic district. The city's downtown area and the Old Town area are prosperous with revitalized retail stores and restaurants. The Downtown River Corridor, however, is experiencing a decline in environmental conditions, economic health, and the conditions of building facades and structures. Further, known environmental problems and the specter of unknown conditions create a stigma that discourages reinvestment and integration with the nearby downtown core. The Poudre River itself has been degraded by the dumping of debris along the banks and in the river bed. Environmental barriers to redevelopment in the Corridor, including those posed by contamination, must be addressed before redevelopment can occur and generate Pilot Snapshot Date of Announcement: 05/01/2000 Amount: $200,000 $50,000 for Greenspace Profile: The Fort Collins Pilot will target brownfields sites in the Downtown River Corridor. Additional greenspace funding will be used to assess and address environmental conditions along the riverbanks and riparian environments along the Cache la Poudre River. 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 8 Brownfields Team (303)312-7074 EPA Region 8 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields) Grant Recipient: Fort Collins, CO (970)221-6505 Objectives The city plans to use the Pilot to help recover and preserve the Downtown River Corridor as a community asset. The Pilot will facilitate the environmental cleanup and redevelopment of the area that is needed to stimulate the economy of the Corridor. Redevelopment of the Corridor will protect and restore the quality of the natural environment, improve the quality of life for the community, and preserve the history and culture of the area for future generations. For example, the city will reuse historical buildings wherever possible to preserve cultural elements and conserve the use of building materials. The Pilot will use the greenspace funding to assess and address environmental conditions along the riverbanks and riparian environments of the Poudre River. The United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 500-F-00-091 May 00 ------- the necessary tax base to support further community mnam§ wm De usea lo conaucl assessment activities revitalization necessary to restore riverbank habitats, preserve riparian land and greenways along the riverbanks, and to reestablish the riverside trail through downtown as a positive, natural experience for the community. Activities Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: Conducting a Corridor-wide Phase I environmental assessment; Conducting Phase II assessments at sites targeted through the Phase I process; Developing cleanup and redevelopment plans for targeted brownfields in the Corridor; Developing and implementing a community outreach program by holding meetings, sending out newsletters, and implementing other techniques to involve the residents; Using greenspace funding to conduct Phase I site assessments; and Using greenspace funding to conduct targeted Phase II site assessments at sites targeted through the Phase I site assessments. The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. 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 Q ., . ,A/__t,. Environmental andldEmSency EPA ** Protection Agency ResDonse(51oVn May 00 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (bl Ob I) ------- |