Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant  Fact Sheet
               New Bern>NC
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 New Bern was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Only 35 miles from the
Atlantic Ocean, New Bern (population 28,170) sits  at the
confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers. The targeted
Riverstation, Five Points, and Broad Street areas are next
to the city's downtown historic district. There are an
estimated 30 to 40 brownfields in these areas, including
former lumber yards, fertilizer plants, petroleum
distributors, and dry cleaners. The Greater Duffyfield
residential community, a primarily African-American
neighborhood, is located between two of the target areas.
The health and welfare of Greater Duffyfield residents
have been impacted by brownfields in the areas. Fifty
percent of households in the areas earn less than $10,000
annually. Brownfield assessments will help the city
determine the nature and extent of contamination, and
facilitate site cleanup and reuse planning that is expected
to catalyze redevelopment.
                     Assessment Grants

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

                     EPA has selected the City of New Bern for two
                     brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                     hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                     conduct 10 Phase I and 3 Phase II environmental
                     site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be
                     used to conduct 10 Phase I and 5 Phase II
                     environmental site assessments. Grant funds also
                     will be used to develop an inventory of sites,
                     conduct cleanup planning, and support community
                     involvement activities. The city will focus on sites
                     in New Bern's Riverstation, Five Points, and
                     Broad Street redevelopment  areas.
                     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 4 Brownfields Team
                     (404) 562-8792
                     EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site
                     (http://www.epa.gov/region4/was te/bf)

                     Grant Recipient: City of New Bern,NC
                     (252) 639-7587

                     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-09-211
      May 2009

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