I 4B| Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
Niagara County, NY
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
Niagara County was selected to receive two brownfields
assessment grants. Bordering Canada and the Niagara
River to the west and Lake Ontario to the north, Niagara
County (population 219,846) was once a prosperous
industrial area. Facilities manufacturing steel, ceramics,
and paper led to a thriving economy but also to the release
of contaminants into the environment. Niagara County has
inventoried and identified over 300 brownfield sites, a
disproportionate number of which are located in
low-income areas. The county's population has declined
by nine percent since the 1960s, which is attributed to the
downsizing and closing of many manufacturing facilities
that employed a significant portion of the county's
workforce. The median household income is lower than
the state and national averages. Brownfield assessments
are expected to strengthen revitalization efforts already
underway. Assessments also are expected to support the
Niagara River Greenway Plan that promotes
sustainability, recreational opportunities, and enhanced
water access.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected Niagara County for two
brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
conduct 14 Phase I and four Phase II
environmental site assessments. Grant funds also
will be used to support community outreach
activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to
conduct the same tasks at sites with potential
petroleum contamination.
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 2 Brownfields Team
(212) 637-3260
EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region2/bro wnfields )
Grant Recipient: Niagara County,NY
(716) 278-8750
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
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 560-F-128-030
May 2011

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