Q \ Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet J Cumberland Valley Area Development District, Southeastern Kentucky 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 Cumberland Valley Area Development District was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The District is composed of eight counties (combined population 238,270) in southeastern Kentucky. The region's economy relies primarily on the coal industry, with other industrial sites scattered throughout the area. Most brownfields in the Valley region consist of mine-scarred lands, abandoned factories, and other industrial facilities. They are eyesores, pose unknown threats to public health, and contribute to urban sprawl. Seven of the eight counties are considered distressed, with high unemployment and poverty rates. The poverty rate in the region is nearly 30 percent, and the median household income is significantly lower than the state or national median. Brownfield assessments will help the District take appropriate actions to reduce human health and environmental threats, determine the most productive site reuse, and leverage funding for redevelopment. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Cumberland Valley Area Development District for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to develop an inventory of sites and conduct from 5 to 10 Phase I and from 3 to 5 Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to conduct cleanup planning and 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 4 Brownfields Team (404) 562-8792 EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site (http: //www. epa.gov/region4/waste/bf) Grant Recipient: Cumberland Valley Area Development District,KY (606) 864-7391 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-09-241 nil- a ancl Emergency .. Protection Agency Response (5105T) MaV09 Washington, DC 20450 ^ v ' ------- |