Brownfields 2011  Assessment Grant  Fact Sheet
               Vincennes, IN
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 Vincennes was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Vincennes (population
18,701) is a small community in southwest Indiana  on the
banks of the Wabash River. The city has a historic past
that includes the first bank, printed newspaper, and
college in Indiana. Today, the city has identified more
than 40 potential brownfield sites, including gasoline
stations, dry cleaners, and manufacturing plants. More
than half the properties are less than half a mile from the
Wabash River and upgradient of the city's water supply
wells. A majority of brownfields are bordered by
residential neighborhoods, parks, and schools. At least
two of the properties are former methamphetamine
laboratories. These sites are in the business district and
low-income neighborhoods, and pose potential threats to
human health and the ecosystem of the Wabash River.
The poverty rate in Vincennes is more than double the
state rate. In the last two years, the operating budget for
Vincennes has dropped by almost 35 percent. Brownfield
assessments are expected to help leverage resources for
redevelopment.
                     Assessment Grants

                     $200,000 for hazardous substances
                     $100,000 for petroleum

                     EPA has selected the City of Vincennes for two
                     brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                     hazardous substances and petroleum grant funds
                     will be used to conduct Phase I and Phase II
                     environmental site assessments. Grant funds also
                     will be used to inventory sites, develop cleanup
                     plans, and support 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 Vincennes,IN
                     (812)882-7285

                     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-128-072
       May 2011

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