United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105)
EPA 500-F-01-322
April 2001
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
&EPA
Supplemental
Assistance
Fort Worth, TX
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 City of Fort Worth to receive
supplemental assistance for its Brownfields
Assessment Demonstration Pilot and additional
fundingforassessmentsatbrownfieldspropertiesto
be used for greenspace purposes. The city has
grown from an army outpostto a 308-square-mile
business center with a population of approximately
484,500. Itis a diverse community with a43 percent
minority population. Approximately 17 percent of
the city' s population lives below the poverty level.
Historically, Fort Worth has been known for its
cattle industry. More recently, however,
manufacturing, distribution, and technology activities
have become a major part of the city's economy.
Most of city' s brownfields formerly were small and
mid-sized manufacturing operations and illegal
dumping sites.
The Pilot targets the most industrialized parts of the
city, with specific emphasis on three districts in the
eastern portion of the city. The minority populations
in these communities (currently aboutTO percent)
have borne the brunt of impacts from the city's
brownfields. Virtually allformsofcommerce,except
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
April 2001
Amount: $150,000
Greenspace: $50,000
Profile: The Pilot targets the most
industrialized parts of the city, with
specific emphasis on three districts
in the eastern portion of the city that
represent some of the poorest
neighborhoods in the city.
Fort Worth, Texas
Contacts:
Fort Worth Department
ofEnvironmental
Management
(817)871-8136
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 6
(214)665-6736
Visit the EPA Region 6 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6sf/bfpages/sfbfhome.htm
Forfurtherinformation,includingspecific 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/
-------
for convenience stores and gas stations, have vacated
the area. Islands of brownfields have contributed to
the deterioration of the target neighborhoods by
decreasing job opportunities, increasing health and
safety hazards, and serving as centers for increased
neighborhoodcrime.
OBJECTIVES AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES
The city's objective is to build upon Fort Worth's
progress to date in planning for brownfields
redevelopment and building public support and
participation in the process. Supplemental funds will
be used to continue the identification and assessment
of brownfields sites and to expand public involvement
efforts. Greenspace funds will be used to conduct
two Phase I and two Phase II environmental site
assessments on brownfields with potential reuse as
greenspace. Four possible greenspace projects have
been identified, including a minor league ballpark and
surrounding open space, a public golf course, a
neighborhood park, and a downtown civic square.
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Continuing to identify potential brownfields and
incorporate them into the city's database;
• Conducting Phase I assessments of seven additional
properties;
• Conducting Phase II assessments of three
additional properties; and
• Expanding public involvement and developing
"success stories" to be submitted to brownfields-
related publications.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields Supplemental Assistance Fort Worth, Texas
April 2001 EPA500-F-01-322
------- |