^   Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
  <^4    ^-    New Mexico Environment Department
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 New Mexico Environment Department was selected
to receive two brownfields assessment grants. New
Mexico (population 1,984,356) is a predominantly rural
state with a long history of agriculture and mining. The
hard rock mining industry, which included extensive
uranium mining, left behind numerous mine-scarred
lands, ghost towns, and abandoned industrial facilities.
The state has identified about 210 brownfield sites
throughout the state. In addition, New Mexico has the
third-highest poverty rate in the nation, and is ranked 45th
in per capita income.  Most communities throughout the
state lack the tax base and sufficient resources to address
brownfields or administer a brownfields program.
Brownfield assessments are expected to assist these
communities move forward with redevelopment plans and
encourage economic vitality.
                    Assessment Grants

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

                    EPA has selected the New Mexico Environment
                    Department for two brownfields assessment
                    grants. Community-wide hazardous substances
                    grant funds will be used to conduct three Phase I
                    and three Phase II environmental site assessments.
                    Community-wide petroleum grant funds will be
                    used to conduct four Phase I and four Phase II
                    environmental site assessments. Grant funds also
                    will be used to conduct 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: New Mexico Environment
                     Department
                     505-827-2754

                     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-10-136
      April 2010

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