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Brownfields 2003
Grant Fact Sheet
East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto was selected to receive an
assessment grant. The city has targeted the Bay-
Clarke Project Area for assessment, cleanup, and
redevelopment. The Bay-Clarke area is in the 130-acre
Ravenswood Industrial Area. While currently blighted
by auto wrecking yards and other industrial properties,
the project area holds promise for meeting the city's
urgent needs for housing and nonprofit office space.
The city is working with a partnership of public,
private, and nonprofit partners to develop the Bay-
Clarke area into housing and a Community Resource
Center. The poverty rate is three times the county
average and the unemployment rate is 11 percent. The
assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of Bay-
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of East Palo Alto for
a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will
be used to conduct further assessments at sites
contaminated by hazardous substances and
petroleum in the Bay-Clarke Project Area. Initial
assessments of properties in this area were
conducted six years ago under a previous
brownfields assessment grant, and there is
considerable concern that contamination of these
parcels may have increased since that time.
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 East Palo Alto, CA
650-853-3100
Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City
of East Palo Alto has received brownfields funding for
assessment, Showcase Community, 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.
Clarke area sites will help create a mixed-use commu-
nity center that will serve family needs and be the
cornerstone of the future revitalization of the
Ravenswood Industrial Area.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 500-F-03-088
June 2003
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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