Brownfields  2010 Assessment  Grant Fact Sheet
               Oklahoma CitY> OK
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 Oklahoma City was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Oklahoma City (population
551,789) is targeting the "Core to Shore" area between its
downtown and the Oklahoma River. The city plans to
increase connectivity between downtown and the river by
realigning 1-40, which currently divides the downtown.
The original 1-40 area will be converted to a
pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use area. The communities in
the downtown area surrounding the central business
district are characterized by prolonged disinvestment. The
poverty rate is 40 percent. The communities contain more
than 100 potential brownfield sites. Past site uses in the
area include chemical refineries, oil and chemical tanks,
and tanneries.  Chronic illegal dumping is a significant
concern, particularly in the areas near the Oklahoma
River. Brownfield assessments will help Oklahoma City
facilitate site cleanup and  eventual reuse as part of the
city's "Core to Shore" revitalization plan.
                     Assessment Grant

                     $200,000 for hazardous substances
                     EPA has selected the City of Oklahoma City for a
                     brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide
                     hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                     perform 10 Phase I and two or three Phase II
                     environmental site assessments and prepare
                     cleanup plans for one or two sites. Grant funds
                     also will be used to support 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 Oklahoma City
                     (405)297-1639

                     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-10-206
      May 2010

-------