Brownfields 2009 Revolving Loan Fund Grant Fact Sheet Lorain, OH 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 Lorain was selected to receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. Lorain (population 70,124) is located along the Lake Erie shore at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland. Its harbor and navigable river access helped create a boom in the city's manufacturing and shipping sectors. Lorain's industrial heritage includes heavy steel and automobile manufacturing. The decline in heavy industry has left a legacy of environmental issues. Contaminants impact soil and groundwater quality throughout the city. There are over 300 areas of former steel manufacturing and industrial facilities in the city. Blighted properties along the lakefront and riverfront are adjacent to the city's most impoverished neighborhoods. Cleanups conducted through the revolving loan fund grant will reduce environmental threats posed by brownfields and help the city continue to return blighted properties to productive reuse. Revolving Loan Fund Grant $800,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Lorain for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the City of Lorain will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances. Grant funds also will be used to market and manage the program. The city estimates underwriting two to six loans and distributing one to two subgrants. 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 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfiel ds) Grant Recipient: City of Lorain,OH (440) 204-2020 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-09-127 May 2009 ------- |