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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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