Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning and Development Council,
WV
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 Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning and
Development Council was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in the northern
panhandle of West Virginia, the Brooke-Hancock region
(population 53,850) was nationally recognized for steel
manufacturing from 1900 to 1981. The nationwide
decline in steel manufacturing in the 1980s had a major
impact on the region's economy. In 1960, there were
nearly 30,000 employees in primary steel jobs. By 2007,
there were fewer than 5,000. The median household
income in Brooke and Hancock Counties has consistently
been more than 20 percent below the national median
income. The percentage of elderly residents has increased
to 150 percent above the national average. Many
brownfield sites in the counties are unsecured. Potential
groundwater contamination and public health issues pose
serious concerns for area residents. Brownfield
assessments are expected to resolve uncertainties about
contamination and facilitate site redevelopment.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Brooke-Hancock Regional
Planning and Development Council for two
brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
conduct 12 to 14 Phase I and about 8 Phase II
environmental site assessments. Petroleum funds
will be used to conduct 10 to 12 Phase I and about
5 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant
funds also will be used to update an inventory of
sites, conduct cleanup planning, and 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 3 Brownfields Team
(215)814-3129
EPA Region 3 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bf -Ir)
Grant Recipient: Brooke-Hancock Regional
Planning and Development Council,WV
(304) 797-9666
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-09-259
May 2009
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