Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant  Fact Sheet
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 Lorain was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Lorain (population
70,124) is located 30 miles west of Cleveland along the
shore of Lake Erie and the mouth of the Black River. The
city has a 100-year legacy as a quintessential steel town.
With its access to a harbor and navigable rivers, Lorain
had an economy based on manufacturing and shipping.
Today, it is plagued with environmental issues and job
losses. There are more than 200 acres of potentially
contaminated properties that may pose significant risks to
human health and the environment, including threats to
the Black River, which is the city"s major water resource.
Most brownfield sites are  located in low-income
neighborhoods and many are near schools, assisted-living
communities, and minority residents.  Brownfield
assessments will provide information about the nature and
extent of contamination, which is expected to facilitate
cleanups and help eliminate barriers that discourage
redevelopment.
                     Assessment Grants

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

                     EPA has selected the City of Lorain for two
                     brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                     hazardous substances and petroleum grant funds
                     will be used to inventory brownfield sites, conduct
                     up to 12 Phase I and six Phase II environmental
                     site assessments, and develop up to four cleanup
                     plans. Grant funds also will be used to conduct
                     community outreach 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/R5Brownfiel ds)

                     Grant Recipient: City of Lorain,OH
                     (440) 204-2270

                     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)
EPA560-F-10-122
      April 2010

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