Brownfields 2010  Assessment Grant  Fact Sheet
              City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, LA
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 Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge
(City-Parish) was selected to receive two brownfields
assessment grants. The City-Parish (population 428,360)
is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The
City-Parish is targeting Baton Rouge"s urban core, where
for decades communities have been exposed to
contamination from heavy industries. More than 400
brownfield sites have been identified in East Baton Rouge
Parish. Most are located in the target area. Sources of
potential contamination include former gas stations, dry
cleaning facilities, and coal-fired power plants.
Brownfield sites pose potential threats to human health
and safety and deter investment in the area. About 85
percent of the target area"s residents are
African-American, and more than one-third of residents
live below the poverty level. Brownfield assessments will
identify environmental threats to area residents and help
overcome existing barriers to private investment in the
urban core of Baton Rouge.
                    Assessment Grants

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

                    EPA has selected the City of Baton Rouge and
                    Parish of East Baton Rouge for two brownfields
                    assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous
                    substances and petroleum grant funds will be used
                    to conduct 18 Phase I and six Phase II
                    environmental site assessments. Grant funds also
                    will be used for cleanup planning and 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 6 Brownfields Team
                     (214) 665-6780
                     EPA Region 6 Brownfields Web site
                     (http://www.epa.gov/region6/bro wnfields)

                     Grant Recipient: City of Baton Rouge and Parish
                     of East Baton Rouge,LA
                     225-389-3144

                     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-10-134
      April 2010

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