Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Geneva, OH RECOUERY.GOV 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. On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description The City of Geneva was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Geneva (population 6,595) was settled in 1816 on the shores of Lake Erie in northeast Ohio. Years of heavy industry, property neglect, and economic decline have adversely affected new business growth in Geneva. Many of the city's brownfields are former tool and kitchen utensil manufacturing, metal plating, and capacitor recycling plants located in residential neighborhoods. There are concerns about contamination at a majority of the deteriorating industrial sites. Most residents in this Appalachian community have low -to-moderate incomes. Assessment of brownfields is expected to remove perceived environmental barriers that hinder site cleanup and redevelopment, and promote reinvestment in the community. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected the City of Geneva for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory and prioritize brownfields, conduct six to eight Phase I and two to three Phase II environmental site assessments, develop cleanup plans, and perform 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 Geneva, Ohio (440) 466-4675 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-09-189 May 2009 ------- |