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Brownfields 2003
Grant Fact Sheet
Bakersfield Redevelopment
Agency, CA
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
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 Bakersfield Redevelopment Agency was selected
to receive a revolving loan fund grant. The agency will
use grant funds to clean up brownfields within the City
of Bakersfield (population 257,900). The city's South-
east Bakersfield, Old Town Kern-Pioneer, and Down-
town redevelopment project areas will be targeted for
grant funds. Hazardous substances, underground
petroleum tanks, and asbestos releases are prevalent
among the old motels, automotive-related, and industrial
properties in Bakersfield's older commercial core.
With new growth spreading to undeveloped areas
outside the city, the economic vitality of these older
areas has rapidly declined. Approximately 24,000
people live in the targeted areas, many of whom are
economically disadvantaged. The unemployment rate
in the Old Town Kern-Pioneer and Southeast Bakers-
Revolving Loan Fund
Grant
$300,000 for hazardous substances
$700,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Bakersfield Redevelop-
ment Agency for a brownfields revolving loan
fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a
revolving loan fund from which the city will
provide loans and subgrants to conduct cleanup
activities. The city also will use the grant to
conduct cleanup planning. The city will focus
this grant on properties located in the city's three
redevelopment project areas-Southeast Bakers-
field, Old Town Kern-Pioneer, and Downtown.
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 at:
www.epa.gov/brownfields.
EPA Region 9 Brownfields Team
415-972-3188
http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/
Grant Recipient: Bakersfield Redevelopment
Agency, CA
661-326-3765
Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the
Bakersfield Redevelopment Agency has not received
funding for brownfields grants.
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been
negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet
are subject to change.
field redevelopment project areas is estimated to be
over 20 percent and poverty rates are as high as 40
percent. Most of the residents in these areas are
minorities. The revolving loan fund will promote the
reuse of brownfields in these blighted areas, reduce
economic and physical blight, and improve the eco-
nomic well-being of the community and its residents.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 500-F-03-050
June 2003
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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