Brownfields 2011  Assessment  Grant Fact Sheet
               Inkster, Ml
EPA Brownfields Program

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states.
communities, and other stakeholders to work together to
prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. A brownfield 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. In
2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help
states and communities around the country cleanup and
revitalize brownfields sites. Under this 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 programs through
a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The City of Inkster was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in southeastern
Michigan, Inkster (population 26,314) has a history
closely linked to the U.S. automotive industry. The
recent decline in this industry has negatively affected
many local suppliers and resulted in significant layoffs
and plant closures, leaving behind neglected brownfield
sites throughout the city. The city's unemployment rate
has tripled in the past 10 years to an estimated 17.7
percent in August 2010, which exceeds both state and
national unemployment rates. Nearly 25 percent of city
residents live below the poverty level. Over 93
brownfields have been identified in six  square miles of
the city. Many of these sites are next to residential
neighborhoods. Assessment of brownfields will allow
the city to identify environmental impacts, potential
health risks, and redevelopment issues associated with
site contamination. Eventual site cleanup and reuse are
expected to transform underused properties into
economically viable community assets.
                   Assessment Grants

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances
                   $200,000 for petroleum

                   EPA has selected the City of Inkster for two
                   brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                   hazardous substances grant funds will be used
                   conduct 12 Phase I and six Phase II environmental
                   site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used
                   to conduct eight Phase I and five Phase II
                   environmental site assessments. Grant funds also
                   will be used to inventory brownfield sites throughout
                   the city and conduct community outreach and
                   cleanup planning  activities.

                   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
                   (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields).

                   EPA Region 5 Brownfields Team
                   (312)886-7576
                   EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site
                   (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields)

                   Grant Recipient: City of Inkster,MI
                   313-563-9764

                   The information presented in this fact sheet comes
                   from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the
                   accuracy of this information. The cooperative
                   agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated.
                   Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are
                   subject to change.
  United States
  Environmental
  Protection Agency
  Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
E PA 560-F-128-081
         May 11

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