United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105)
EPA 500-F-01-286
April 2001
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
&EPA EPA Brownfields
Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
Spartanburg County, SC
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, and safely clean up
brownfields to promote their sustainable reuse. Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and
commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental
contamination. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years,
with additional funding provided for greenspace) to test assessment models and facilitate coordinated assessment
and cleanup efforts at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels; and job training pilot programs (each funded up to
$200,000 over two years) to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup
of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan
fund program (each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years) to provide financial assistance for the environmental
cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and
communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified
approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
EPA has selected the County of Spartanburg for a
Brownfields Assessment Pilot. Spartanburg County
is located in the northwest Piedmont section of South
Carolina. The county intends to focus its Pilot on the
1.21 square-mile community of Arkwright
(population 1,538). Specific target sites include the
abandoned 28-acre Arkwright Textile Mill, various
alleged illegal dumping sites, and the Bomar Avenue
Dump.
The Arkwright community has suffered from a lack
of local land use controls prior to 1976 and a
continued lack of zoning restrictions, which has
resulted in aclose mixing of residential neighborhoods
with industrial areas. Anecdotal evidence indicates
a likelihood that health and environmental threats
existfrompastmanufacturingandindustrial activities
in the area. The Arkwright community has no
substantial retail or commercial businesses, and its
residents must travel to other, more affluent
communities for ordinary shopping needs. A large
maj oriry of the population is African American, and
more than 18 percent live below the poverty level.
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Spartanburg County,
South Carolina
Date of Announcement:
April 2001
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot will conduct
an inventory of brownfields sites
in the Arkwright community,
conduct assessments at priority
sites, and involvethecommunity
in cleanupand redevelopment
planning.
Contacts:
Spartanburg County Community
and Economic Development Dept.
(864)596-2416
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 4
(404)562-8661
Visit the E PA Region 4 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/region4/wastepgs/brownfpgs/bf.htm
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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OBJECTIVES
The Pilot's objectives are to enhance community
awareness of brownfields, coordinate brownfields
efforts among government and community
stakeholders, complete an inventory of potential
brownfields, conduct Phase I environmental site
assessments (and Phase II assessments, when
needed) at priority sites, and develop a cost analysis
and cleanup plan for the area. Reuse potentials for
area properties include creek-side recreational trails,
open green areas, a health awareness facility, retail
services, and a technology center. Spartanburg
County has been awarded a HUD grant for
redevelopment of the area. The county is working
with the community and ReGenesis, Inc., a local
non-profitenvironmentaljustice group, to create an
arearedevelopmentplan that will specify site-specific
reuse and redevelopment options.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Completing abrownfields inventory;
• Conducting Phase I and Phase II environmental
site assessments at target sites;
• Continuing to work with the community on
brownfields issues; and
• Promoting outreach and obtaining input for the
Brownfields Pilotcleanupplanviaadesigncharrette
to be held with assistance from the U. S. Department
of Energy and other partners.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Spartanburg County, South Carolina
April 2001 EPA500-F-01-286
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