Brownfields 2003 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet ™ Osivego County, NY 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 January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields 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 Oswego County was selected to receive an assessment grant. Oswego County borders Lake Ontario in north central New York State. The county has targeted brownfields along the Oswego Canal for this assessment grant. The Oswego Canal Corridor (population under 30,000) runs parallel to and intersects with the Oswego River, which served as an important transportation artery for early settlers and powered the area's mills following the Industrial Revolution. After World War II, more cost-efficient rail transportation and the establishment of the interstate highway system diminished the canal's significance. The Post-Cold War economic downturn forced many industries along the canal to shut down. Portions of the canal are littered with underutilized or vacant sites that once housed thriving industrial, energy, and transportation businesses. The county unemployment rate is 9 percent, compared to the national average of just over 4 percent. The per capita income in Oswego County is $16,853, compared to $23,389 for New York State, and 14 percent of the population lives below the poverty level. The closing of two factories in 1995 cost the county 8 percent of its jobs and created an estimated 435 acres of brownfields. The assessment and eventual cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields along the canal will stimulate economic development by creating jobs, increasing tourism revenue, and bringing in new Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected Oswego County for a brownfields assessment grant. The county will use grant funds to inventory, prioritize, and conduct environmental site assessments at properties along the Oswego Canal. Grant funds will also be used for community involvement and 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 2 Brownfields Team (212) 637-4309 EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region02/br ownfields/) Grant Recipient: Oswego County, New York (315)349-8292 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) EPA500-F-03-157 June 2003 ------- businesses. United States Q ., . ,A/__t,. Environmental bona waste EPA 500-F-03-157 _, and Emergency 0™o Protection Agency Resoonse fSIOSn June 2003 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse ------- |