I 'O UJ O Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet Klamath County, OR 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. Abrownfield 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, the President 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. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response pro- grams through a separate mechanism. Community Description Klamath County (population 64,600) was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The county has targeted a former lumber mill located in the rural community of Chiloquin (population 716) for cleanup and eventual reuse as a community recreation area with a river walk, bike paths, softball field, picnic areas, and a mixed-use development. Once part of the Klamath Tribal Reservation, the once-booming city of Chiloquin is now a struggling, economically distressed town due to the closure of several lumber mills. Just over 50 percent of Chiloquin's residents are Native American. Almost 20 percent of adults over 25 do not have a high school diploma. Poverty rates are 33.5 percent for two-parent households, 57.4 percent for Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected Klamath County for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substance funds will be used to clean up soil and groundwa- ter contaminated with dioxin, pentachlorophenol, asbestos, and petroleum at the site of the former Chiloquin Lumber Mill, which has been vacant since it closed in 1988. Large volumes of contami- nated soil and wood waste, which are leaching contaminants into the Sprague River and ground- water, will be removed. Asbestos will be removed from the one remaining building on the site as it is demolished. Once cleaned up, the site will provide community greenspace. 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 www.epa.gov/rlOearth, click on "Superfund," scroll down to "Related Programs" and click on "Brownfields" Grant Recipient: Klamath County, OR 541-883-4696 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. female households, and 31.2 percent for individuals living alone. Unemployment rates in the past two years have ranged from 27.5 percent to 37.8 percent. The community will benefit from this grant through the restoration and enhancement of natural resources, and the development of new economic opportunities at the Chiloquin Mill site. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-04-071 June 2004 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |