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  Brownfields  2004

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

           Tucson, AZ




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

The City of Tucson was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant.  The majority of the
city's brownfields are located in or near the historically
significant, but underutilized and deteriorating down-
town area, including the Rio Nuevo District. About
19,108 of Tucson's 486,699 residents live in the Rio
Nuevo District target area, which is a federally desig-
nated Empowerment Zone. Forty percent of target
area residents are minorities, and 57 percent live in
low-income households. The district's unemployment
rate of eight percent is higher than that of the city as a
whole. The city is planning to redevelop the bulk oil
facility into a mixed-use retail and residential complex.
The maintenance facility will be transformed into
                       Assessment Grant
                       $200,000 for petroleum

                       EPA has selected the City of Tucson for a
                       brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
                       used to perform expanded Phase I site assess-
                       ments at a bulk oil storage facility and a bus
                       maintenance and refueling garage located in the
                       city's Rio Nuevo District. The funds also will be
                       used for community outreach and, if necessary,
                       for cleanup planning and selection.
                       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 9 Brownfields Team
                       415-972-3188
                       http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/

                       Grant Recipient: Tucson, AZ
                       520-791-5414

                       The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
                       yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
                       in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                    greenspace that will complement the nearby re-
                    creation of the Mission San Agustin, which was the
                    first building in Tucson. The retail stores and the tourist
                    complex are expected to provide increased employ-
                    ment opportunities for local residents.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                                             EPA 560-F-04-098
                                             June 2004
                                             www.epa.gov/brownfields

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