W Brownfields 2008 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Cleveland, 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. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields 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 Cleveland was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located in northern Ohio along the Cuyahoga River, Cleveland (population 478,403) was once home to several industries that made it a center of American commerce. Between 2000 and 2006, Cleveland lost almost 10,000 manufacturing jobs, and its unemployment and poverty rates are 16.1 and 27 percent, respectively. The median household income has dropped by 17.4 percent since 2000. The east side of Cleveland is a federally designated Empowerment Zone. The city has inventoried more than 1,000 acres of vacant industrial properties. The Crescent Avenue Redevelopment property has been vacant for 20 years in an area where the demand for developable land is high. Site cleanup will facilitate implementation of redevelopment plans that include the expansion of a neighborhood tug boat operation, and creation of a boat house and a soap box derby facility. This redevelopment is expected to help retain more than 32 existing jobs, create at least 30 new jobs, and introduce recreational amenities to the area. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Cleveland for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the nine-acre Crescent Avenue Redevelopment property at 3418 Crescent Avenue. The property has been used for industrial purposes for at least 90 years, and site soil is contaminated with metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and benzo(a)pyrene. Site groundwater is contaminated with chlorinated solvents. 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 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http: //www. epa.gov/R5 Brownfields) Grant Recipient: City of Cleveland,OH (216) 664-3611 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 c Environmental anri Fmpflpn™ EPA 560-F-08-132 nil- a ancl Emergency .. Protection Agency Response (5105T) Mar 08 Washington, DC 20450 ^ v ' ------- |