Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet ™ Lw/?a County, NM 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 Luna County was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Located in southern New Mexico, Luna County (population 25,016) contains a landfill that occupies about 80 acres. From 1941 through 1969, dumping operations consisted of waste disposal and debris burning. Erosion periodically exposed waste and washed it onto the banks of the Mimbres River. Potential contamination from the site could affect the river and drinking water supply wells used by the City of Deming. The target site area has a large Hispanic population. The 19 percent unemployment rate in Luna County is the highest in the state. Assessment of the target site will allow the county to determine if the site poses health and safety risks to local residents and the area's water supply. Site assessment is expected to facilitate its cleanup and planned redevelopment as an outdoor nature center that will provide recreational and educational opportunities for residents. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected Luna County for a brownfields assessment grant. Site-specific hazardous substances grant funds will be used to perform a Phase I and a Phase II environmental site assessment of the Tulip Drive Landfill located half a mile southeast of the intersection of State Highways 180 and 26. Grant funds also will be used to develop a cleanup plan, conduct health monitoring, implement institutional controls, and conduct 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: Luna County,NM 575-543-6641 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-10-135 April 2010 ------- |