Brownfields 2009  Cleanup  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 Waco was selected to receive a brownfields
cleanup grant. Waco (population 113,726) is located in
central Texas along the Brazos River. The city is targeting
the Brazos River Corridor in  East Waco for revitalization.
The corridor contains numerous long-abandoned
brownfield sites and a diverse mixture of low-income
residential properties and commercial operations.
Brownfield sites are highly visible to both the interstate
highway and downtown Waco, and pose threats to the
area's groundwater and surface water quality. Nearly 52
percent of area residents live  below the  poverty level, and
more than 54 percent are minorities. Cleanup of the target
site will reduce contamination at a property that has  been
a barrier to business relocation in the area, and is expected
to make the site ready for potential purchase by Baylor
University.
                     Cleanup Grant

                     $200,000 for hazardous substances

                     EPA has selected the City of Waco for a
                     brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
                     grant funds will be used to clean up the former
                     Southwest Spraying and Chemical Company site
                     at 901 Peach Street. The site was originally used
                     as an agricultural chemical mixing facility and
                     later for various businesses that did not contribute
                     to the contamination. Surface and subsurface soils
                     are contaminated with agricultural chemicals and
                     pesticides. Grant funds will be used to design and
                     implement a cleanup plan, conduct human health
                     monitoring, and support community outreach.
                     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 6 Brownfields Team
                     (214) 665-6780
                     EPA Region 6 Brownfields Web site
                     (http://www.epa.gov/region6/bro wnfields)

                     Grant Recipient: City of Waco,TX
                     (254) 750-8001

                     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-09-040
      May 2009

-------