Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact  Sheet
               Hattiesbur9>MS
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 Hattiesburg was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment coalition grant. The city has
formed a coalition with the City of Petal and Forrest
County. Located in southeast Mississippi, Hattiesburg
is the seat for Forrest County (population 78,241) and
the medical, retail, and educational center for more than
250,000 residents in the area. According to the state,
there are about 52 known brownfield sites in the area.
These sites include former wood treatment facilities,
chemical plants, dry cleaners, and rail yards. Forrest
County's median household income is lower than both
the state and national medians. About 26 percent of
county residents live below the poverty level.
Brownfield assessments will provide the coalition with
information about environmental conditions in areas
where reuse is hindered by uncertainties about
contamination. Eventual site cleanup and reuse are
expected to encourage investment designed to stimulate
growth in the area.
                   Assessment Grant

                   $600,000 for hazardous substances
                   $400,000 for petroleum

                   EPA has selected the City of Hattiesburg for a
                   brownfields assessment coalition grant.
                   Community-wide hazardous substances and
                   petroleum grant funds will be used to inventory and
                   prioritize brownfield sites and to conduct 127 Phase I
                   and 25 Phase II environmental site assessments in
                   targeted areas of Hattiesburg, the City of Petal, and
                   Forrest County. Grant funds also will be used to
                   conduct cleanup planning 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 4 Brownfields Team
                   (404) 562-8792
                   EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site
                   (http: //www. epa.gov/region4/waste/bf)

                   Grant Recipient: City of Hattiesburg,MS
                   (601)554-1014

                   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-09-033
        May 09

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