Brownfields 2010 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Newark, NJ 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 Newark was selected to receive three brownfields cleanup grants. Newark (population 264,128) was historically one of the most important industrial and manufacturing centers of the country. Factories took advantage of easy access to resources made available by rail lines and ports, and used the Passaic River to generate power and obtain water for manufacturing. As these industries declined in the post-war era, the city was left with large numbers of contaminated, unproductive sites, including an estimated 700 acres of brownfields. These former industrial facilities blight the community and pose potential health risks. Approximately 73.7 percent of city residents are minorities. When Lots 63 and 64 of the former Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company site are cleaned up, they are expected to be redeveloped into a clothing manufacturing facility that will relocate within the Greater Riverside Industrial Park. When the former Synfax Manufacturing site is cleaned up, it is expected to be redeveloped as the relocation site for a wooden pallet manufacturer and recycler. Cleanup of the target sites is expected to retain jobs held by city residents and continue smart growth development in the city. Cleanup Grants $600,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Newark for three brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up Lot 63 of the former Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company site at 1700-1712 McCarter Highway Rear, Lot 64 of the former Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company site at 1702-1716 McCarter Highway Rear, and the former Synfax Manufacturing site at 441-459 Avenue P. The .5-acre Lot 63 and .9-acre Lot 64 sites have been in industrial use since the early 20th century, and are contaminated with solvents and volatile organic compounds. The 2.8-acre former Synfax Manufacturing site has been an unregulated dumping site, a manufacturing facility for toner and printing inks, and an aboveground storage tank farm. It is contaminated with solvents, volatile organic compounds, and PCBs. Grant funds for Lot 63 will be used to install three groundwater sampling wells. Grant funds for Lot 64 will be used to remove up to 10 underground storage tanks. Grant funds for the Synfax Manufacturing site will be used to install five groundwater sampling wells. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community involvement 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 2 Brownfields Team (212) 637-3260 EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region2/bro wnfields) Grant Recipient: City of Newark, New Jersey 973-733-6575 United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-10-041 April 2010 ------- 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) EPA 560-F-10-041 April 2010 ------- |