^ Brownfields 2006 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Gig Harbor, WA 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. 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. Community Description The City of Gig Harbor was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located on the Puget Sound, Gig Harbor (population 6,500) has a history of industry that included lumber, boat building, and logging. Today, the poverty level in the downtown area is 12.9 percent, and the Puget Sound area is dealing with loss of critical habitat for the Puget Sound Chinook salmon. The city hopes to preserve a portion of its historic waterfront and boat building history in the downtown area and provide public water access. When brownfields are cleaned up, they will be developed to restore and revitalize the area. Brownfields redevelopment will promote environmentally friendly economic opportunities, options for water access, and new jobs. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Gig Harbor for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Eddon Boat Park at 3805 Harborview Drive, which is contaminated with arsenic, copper, mercury, and PCBs. The site was used as a boatyard and boat house since the 1920s. Funds also will be used for 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 10 Brownfields Team (206)553-7299 EPA Region 10 Brownfields Web site (http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/CLEANUP.NSF/ sites/bf) Grant Recipient: City of Gig Harbor,WA (253)851-6170 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-06-202 May 06 ------- |