Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet c°°n 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 Coon Rapids was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Located just north of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Coon Rapids (population 61,956) is a historic community on the Mississippi River that has seen a significant decrease in its commercial base. Many of the early commercial and industrial areas, which experienced growth during the 1960s through the 1990s, have become outdated and abandoned. The city"s population has not increased in the past 10 years, primarily due to an aging community and the low inventory of quality market-rate housing. The state has identified nearly 600 sites of potential environmental concern in the city. Minority residents are disproportionately concentrated in the areas most impacted by brownfields. The city has cut staffing and service levels because of the loss of industry-related jobs and cuts in funding from state sources, and does not have the resources for brownfield assessments. Assessment of brownfields is expected to serve as a catalyst for redevelopment projects in the target area and leverage private investment in redevelopment projects. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Coon Rapids for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory and perform up to 10 Phase I and approximately five Phase II environmental site assessments in the target area along the five-mile Coon Rapids Boulevard Corridor. Grant funds also will be used to develop cleanup plans for two sites and conduct community outreach activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct the same tasks at sites with potential petroleum contamination. 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 Coon Rapids,MN 763-767-6458 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-10-113 April 2010 ------- |