^ Brownfields 2011 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet
Cullman, AL
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 Cullman was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. During the 1960s, the
population of Cullman (15,302) declined significantly
because of limited employment opportunities that resulted
in residents seeking jobs elsewhere. Downtown Cullman
currently contains over a dozen underused or vacant
brownfields. The city has a lower median household
income and a higher poverty rate than the national
averages. The target cleanup site is located downtown
near both a middle school and a high school. The site
poses risks to students and residents in nearby
neighborhoods and has contributed to declining property
values. Cleanup of the target site will reduce health
threats to residents and is expected to facilitate the city's
efforts to restore its downtown. The city plans to reuse the
site as a location to consolidate city services and improve
access to the planned greenway along the city's rail
corridor.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Cullman for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the 12-acre
Grief Brothers Facilities site at 409 2nd Avenue,
NE. From 1917 to 2001, the site was used for
industrial purposes, including the manufacturing
of steel drums and containers. Site soils and
groundwater are contaminated with toluene,
trichloroethene, and metals. 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 4 Brownfields Team
(404) 562-8792
EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region4/was te/bf)
Grant Recipient: City of Cullman,AL
(256) 775-7102
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-128-037
May 2011
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