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Brownfields 2003
Grant Fact Sheet
Emeryville, 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. Addi-
tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The City of Emeryville was selected to receive an
assessment grant. Emeryville (population 7,300) is a
small community located on the east side of San
Francisco Bay, immediately north of Oakland. Many
heavy industries established themselves in Emeryville
and other East Bay communities because of the area's
access to shipping and rail lines. Emeryville's economy
declined significantly following the exodus of industry
and related jobs in the 1970s. Today, the city is bur-
dened with abandoned and potentially contaminated
properties that discourage investment and detract from
the quality of life. Emeryville's median household
income is nearly 19 percent lower than that of
Alameda County. The city's unemployment and
poverty rates are higher than county averages, and the
Assessment Grant
$350,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Emeryville for a
brownfields assessment grant. The city intends to
use grant funds to conduct environmental site
assessments at several properties, some of which
are potentially contaminated with petroleum and
are located in its most disadvantaged neighbor-
hoods. Grant funds also will be used for redevel-
opment planning and community involvement and
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 at:
www.epa.gov/brownfields.
EPA Region 9 Brownfields Team
415-972-3188
http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/
Grant Recipient: City of Emeryville, CA
510-596-4356
Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City
of Emery ville has received brownfields funding for
assessment and revolving loan fund grants.
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been
negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet
are subject to change.
percentage of minorities living in the lowest income
areas is more than double the county average. Grant
funds will enable the city to assess and plan for the
cleanup of several sites located in the most disadvan-
taged census tracts. The city hopes to redevelop these
sites into open space, a community center, and an
intermodal transit center.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 500-F-03-090
June 2003
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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