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Brownfields 1998 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
Cedar Rapids, I A
EPA Brownfields Initiative
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.
Background
EPA has selected the City of Cedar Rapids for a
Brownfields Pilot. Cedar Rapids (population 108,751) is
the largest community in eastern Iowa. There are several
areas in the City, including the targeted south-side
neighborhood, with disproportionately high numbers of
elderly, low-income, and minority residents.
Unemployment in the targeted area is 13%, and 30% of
the area's population lives in poverty. Nearly 38% of the
area's residents are elderly and 28% of the residents are
minority.
The targeted area, consisting of approximately 177 acres
of mixed-use property-commercial, industrial, and a
long-established Eastern European residential
neighborhood-is in decline and transition. Approximately
70 acres of this property is considered to be brownfields.
The residential cohesiveness within the area has eroded,
and buildings have been abandoned and neglected. Three
sites-a former meat-processing facility, a building that
housed a steel fabricating business, and an abandoned
iron foundry-will be targeted by the Pilot.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 07/15/1998
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets three properties on Cedar
Rapids' south side near the Cedar River.
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
(http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brown fields)
Grant Recipient: City of Cedar Rapids,IA
(319) 398-5041
Objectives
As part of the City's comprehensive and sustainable
planning effort, the Pilot plans to help transform the
targeted area into a year-round recreational complex
with parkways and trails. The project seeks to
accentuate the positive and unique attributes of the area
(e.g., Cedar River, the Eastern European neighborhood,
and cultural buildings) while overcoming the blighted
conditions, enhancing environmental quality, and
creating jobs. To help accomplish these larger
objectives, the Pilot will focus on environmental
assessment, cleanup planning, and community
engagement at the three priority brownfields in the area.
In addition, the City will work to leverage other public
and private sector funds to help complete this project.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
•	Conducting Phase I and II environmental
assessments at the three targeted properties;
•	Analyzing cleanup strategies and developing
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 500-F-98-223
Jul 98

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cleanup cost estimates for the properties;
•	Developing a risk-based cleanup plan for the
properties that considers alternate redevelopment
plans and emphasizes compatibility with the
surrounding area;
•	Identifying cleanup funding sources; and
•	Working with community stakeholders in the
planning efforts.
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 500-F-98-223
Jul 98

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Brownfields 1998 Supplemental Assessment
Pilot Fact Sheet
City of Cedar Rapids, I A
EPA Brownfields Initiative
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.
Background
EPA has selected the City of Cedar Rapids to receive
supplemental assistance for its Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot. Cedar Rapids (population 108,751)
is the largest community in eastern Iowa. There are
several areas in the city, including the targeted
South-Side neighborhood, with disproportionately high
numbers of elderly, low-income, and minority residents.
Unemployment in the targeted area is 13 percent, and 30
percent of the area's population lives in poverty. Nearly
38 percent of the area's residents are elderly, and 28
percent of the residents are minority.
The original Pilot targeted three sites-a former
meat-processing facility, a building that housed a steel
fabricating business, and an abandoned iron foundry-for
assessment to facilitate cleanup and redevelopment.
Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments have
been conducted on the latter two of the properties, and
demolition of structures on the properties is in progress.
Funding from the supplemental grant will be used to
carry out additional, post-demolition assessments on the
two properties and to conduct Phase I and Phase II
assessments at the former meat-processing facility. This
site has been designated as two parcels: a five-acre
former factory parking lot, and the Sinclair Business
Park, a 30-acre parcel that has been providing
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 04/01/2001
Amount: $150,000
Profile: City of Cedar Rapids, IA. The Pilot will
target two sites from the original Pilot in the
South-Side neighborhood for follow-up assessments
and one site for initial Phase I and Phase II
assessments.
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
(http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brown fields)
Grant Recipient: City of Cedar Rapids,IA
(319)286-5041
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Objectives
The city's goal is to build on the original Pilot's efforts
and to continue to address the environmental issues
associated with the cleanup and redevelopment of the
South-Side neighborhood. The objective is to revitalize
the local economy and improve the quality of life in this
disadvantaged neighborhood.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
•	Conduct follow-up, Phase III site assessments
following the demolition of structures at the
former Iowa Iron Works and Iowa Steel sites;
•	Continue negotiations with the owners of the
former meat-processing facility to either
purchase the property or obtain access to perform
environmental assessments;
•	Conduct Phase I and Phase II site assessments at
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 500-F-01-306
Apr 01

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old industrial buildings. Both parcels have been in
industrial use for the past 130 years.
the former meat-processing facility; and
• Identify and inventory additional brownfields in
the Pilot area.
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 500-F-01-306
Apr 01

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