SB, HI C3 Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 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 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality was selected to receive an assessment grant. The state has targeted rural, economically distressed areas of the state. Most of the communities in which site assess- ments will be conducted have populations under 30,000. These distressed areas have unemployment rates that reach up to 14 percent in some targeted communities. Over the last three years, the state has informally inventoried rural brownfields sites and has used that information to reach out to impacted commu- nities. The assessment and ultimate reuse of industrial facilities and service stations targeted with this grant will reduce blight, stimulate capital investment, and improve the j ob and tax base of small communitie s. Assessment Grant A2003 $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for a brownfields assess- ment grant. The state will conduct assessments at four hazardous substances sites and identify specific health and safety risks associated with each site. One of these sites, a former gas manu- facturing plant, has been identified. The others will be selected using specific criteria. The state also has identified 11 petroleum sites that will be as- sessed through this grant. Petroleum grant funds also will be used to identify specific health and safety risks associated with each petroleum site. 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 10 Brownfields Team 206-553-2100 http://www.epa.gov/rlOearth, click on "Superfund", and scroll down and click on "Brownfields" Grant Recipient: Oregon Department of Environ- mental Quality 541-278-4620 Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has not received brownfields grant funding. The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department 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. The state plans to use local communications vehicles for outreach to residents of the various communities. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA500-F-03-155 June 2003 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |