Q \ Brownfields 2005 Assessment and Cleanup
Grant Fact Sheet
Waterloo, IA

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 Waterloo was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant and a cleanup grant.
Waterloo (population 68,747), once known as the
"Factory City of Iowa," has experienced a ten percent
population decline since 1980. When John Deere, the
city's largest employer, downsized its workforce by
10,000, the entire city was impacted. At the same time,
several other large employers ceased operations. Many of
the commercial and industrial buildings in the Rath
Neighborhood area, targeted for assessment and cleanup,
are the legacy of the decline in industrial manufacturing
and agricultural operations. The populations in the
neighborhoods surrounding these sites are characterized
by higher poverty rates, lower incomes, and a higher
percentage of minorities than the state. Many residents are
underemployed, earning less than is necessary to bring
their families above the poverty level. The brownfields
have driven some companies to relocate to greenfields,
thereby contributing to urban sprawl and consuming
farmland in a state that relies heavily on the agricultural
sector. Assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of the
sites in the target area will remove environmental hazards,
improve the aesthetics of the neighborhood, prevent
further sprawl, and create better-paying employment
opportunities for area residents.
Assessment Grant
$50,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Waterloo for a
brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
used to conduct community outreach activities,
perform Phase I and II environmental site
assessments, develop cleanup plans, and monitor
risks to sensitive populations at the former
Chamberlain Manufacturing Complex. Potential
soil and groundwater contamination is suspected
based on the historical use of the site for metals
and ammunition manufacturing from the early
1900s to 1980.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Waterloo for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be
used to promote community involvement and plan
and conduct cleanup at the Construction
Machinery Company (CMC) site at 625
Glenwood Street. The CMC site has a history of
manufacturing uses associated with the risk of
generating potentially serious contaminants dating
back to the early 1900s. Previous assessments
have identified a variety of releases, including
benzo(a)pyrene, arsenic, lead, and
tetrachloroethene, at areas of concern around the
property.
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 7 Brownfields Team
(800) 223-0425
EPA Region 7 Brownfields Web site
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 560-F-05-120
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2005
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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(,nnp://www.epa.gov/region //cie anup/orownneias
Grant Recipient: City of Waterloo,IA
(319)291-4366
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
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
Solid Waste
EPA 560-F-05-120
May 2005

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