Brownfields  2011  Assessment  Grant Fact Sheet
    ™          Fresno Redevelopment Agency,  CA
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 Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno was
selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants.
Located in the center of California's San Joaquin Valley
along a major transit and trucking highway, Fresno
(population 495,913) is the fifth largest city in the state.
The out-migration of residents and businesses to the
northern suburbs has caused disinvestment in the city's
downtown core and in West Fresno, which contains a
disproportionate number of brownfield sites. These target
areas contain blocks of abandoned buildings and vacant
parcels. Abandoned gas stations are especially visible
throughout the downtown area, detracting  from
redevelopment efforts because of real or perceived
environmental concerns, and posing potential threats to
nearby residents. The poverty rate is 60 percent in West
Fresno, and 46.8 percent in the downtown area.
Assessment of brownfields is expected to catalyze
brownfields cleanup and eventual redevelopment in the
target areas. Cleanup and redevelopment are expected to
advance the city's plans to promote smart growth
principles, transit-oriented development, and
revitalization goals.
                     Assessment Grants

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

                     EPA has selected the Redevelopment Agency of
                     the City of Fresno for two brownfields assessment
                     grants. Community-wide hazardous substances
                     and petroleum grant funds will be used to screen
                     brownfield sites throughout the city and perform
                     eight Phase I and four Phase II environmental site
                     assessments. Grant funds also will be used to
                     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 9 Brownfields Team
                     415-972-3364
                     EPA Region 9 Brownfields Web site
                     (http://www.epa.gov/region9/bro  wnfields)

                     Grant Recipient: Redevelopment Agency of the
                     City of Fresno,CA
                     559-621-7631

                     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-128-124
       May 2011

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