Q \ Brownfields 2005 Assessment and Cleanup
Grant Fact Sheet
Rocky Mount, NC

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 Rocky Mount was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant and a cleanup grant. Rocky
Mount, with a population of 59,893, is a federally
designated Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community
within two counties in northeastern North Carolina. Like
many downtown areas, the central business district of
Rocky Mount has lost its vitality to economic growth in
the outlying areas of city. It is struggling to redefine itself
following the flood of the century, and the decline of the
tobacco and textile industries. It is also a city divided, with
a county line defined by railroad tracks that help promote
racial division. Revitalization efforts have targeted the
Douglas Block area, which at one time was the cultural
and economic hub for the African-American community
in Rocky Mount. The area has an unemployment rate of
17 percent, and 52 percent of its residents live in poverty.
Assessment and cleanup of the brownfields will help the
city prepare the area for redevelopment. Redevelopment
is expected to encourage investments that will bring new
commercial, cultural, and housing facilities, and increase
employment and tax revenues.
Assessment Grant
$182,750 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Rocky Mount for a
brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
used to conduct lead, asbestos, and other
contaminant assessments in buildings in the
Douglas Block project area. Funds also will be
used to prepare remedial plans.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Rocky Mount for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be
used to clean up the three-acre property in the
Douglas Block area where the Old Fenner and
Cobb Carlton tobacco warehouses used to stand.
The land has been found to be contaminated with
heavy metals, particularly arsenic.
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/was te/bf)
Grant Recipient: City of Rocky Mount,NC
(252)972-1101
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-05-085
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2005
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

-------
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 560-F-05-085
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2005
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

-------