Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet , MS 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 Quitman was selected to receive a brownfields assessment coalition grant. The city's coalition partners are Clarke County and the Towns of Enterprise, Stonewall, and Shubuta. Located in east-central Mississippi, Quitman is in Clarke County (population 17,209), a rural area that has an agricultural base emphasizing cotton cultivation. At the turn of the 21st century, the county's economy also was driven by electric engine equipment and textile manufacturing. However, the closure of several plants resulted in job losses for over 10 percent of county residents and the creation of blighted, vacant, and underused brownfield sites. The county's unemployment rate of 14 percent is substantially higher than the statewide average. Municipalities in the county have poverty rates as high as 47.7 percent, and median household incomes are significantly lower that the state average. Brownfield assessments are expected to facilitate cleanup and redevelopment projects that will help the county transition from its industrial base to new, sustainable job sectors. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Quitman for a brownfields assessment coalition grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory sites and conduct 15 Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to inventory sites and conduct 18 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to support cleanup planning and 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 4 Brownfields Team (404) 562-8792 EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region4/was te/bf) Grant Recipient: City of Quitman,MS 601-776-4002 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-128-055 May 2011 ------- |