Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Gardena, CA 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 Gardena was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Located near Los Angeles, Gardena (population 61,781) has a significant metals industry due to southern California's role in World War II manufacturing and the growth of the aerospace industry after World War II. Today, the city contains 125 potential brownfields covering more than 150 acres, or more than 10 percent of the city's commercial and industrial land. Of the city's residents, 32 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 27 percent are Asian, and 26 percent are African-American. The per capita income is lower than the national average, and 16 percent of residents live below the poverty level. The city's assessment efforts will be focused on the Rosecrans Revitalization Project Area in northern Gardena. Assessment of brownfields is expected to provide information about contamination and encourage redevelopment in the community. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Gardena for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory and perform from three to four Phase I and one to two Phase II environmental site assessments. Community-wide petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory and perform from four to five Phase I and one to two Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to support community involvement 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 9 Brownfields Team (415) 972-3091 EPA Region 9 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region9/bro wnfields) Grant Recipient: City of Gardena,CA (310)217-9533 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-09-089 May 2009 ------- |