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/ ------- 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 ------- |