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  Brownfields  2004

  Grant  Fact Sheet

     Knox  County,  TN




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

Knox County (population 382,032) and the Develop-
ment Corporation of Knox County were selected to
receive  a brownfields assessment grant. The target
community is the City of Knoxville's federally desig-
nated Empowerment Zone (population 44,337). The
unemployment rate in the zone is twice the county rate,
and the  poverty rate  is 42 percent. The  zone's 42
percent  minority rate is more than double the city rate,
and three and one half times the county rate. Nearly 30
percent  of the Enterprise Zone's population is consid-
ered at-risk youth. The two target sites  together
represent almost 60 acres of mostly abandoned and
underutilized properties. Because of the easy access to
rail lines and the interstate highway, an available and
                       Assessment Grant
                       $200,000 for hazardous substances

                       EPA has selected Knox County and the Develop-
                       ment Corporation of Knox County for a
                       brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
                       used to perform Phase I and Phase II investiga-
                       tions and develop cleanup plans for two sites
                       along the 1-275 business corridor in north Knox-
                       ville. Grant funds will also be used to conduct
                       health risk assessments during and after redevel-
                       opment.
                       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 4 Brownfields Team
                       404-562-8493
                       http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf/index.htm

                       Grant Recipient: Knox County, TN
                       865-546-5887

                       The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
                       yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
                       described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                    trainable work force in the surrounding neighborhoods,
                    and nearby industrial support services, these target
                    sites represent a major opportunity for the community
                    to attract new business. Redevelopment plans for the
                    sites also include a greenway with walking paths and a
                    neighborhood park.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                                             EPA 560-F-04-072
                                             June 2004
                                             www.epa.gov/brownfields

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