( w \ Brownfields 2007 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet El Paso, TX 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 El Paso was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. El Paso (population 598,590) is located in west Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border. About 77 percent of residents are minorities. Although this desert city is not heavily industrialized, El Paso has at least 82 known brownfields sites, including rail yards, steel mills, light manufacturing and metal plating plants, auto repair shops, and gasoline stations. These brownfields typically date back to the 1930s and 1940s. Suburban sprawl has left the urban core underused and impoverished. This area has been designated as a federal Empowerment Zone. Brownfields and a meager tax base have hampered redevelopment. The city's poverty rate exceeds 27 percent, and unemployment is above statewide and national averages. Assessment funds will help bolster the city's downtown redevelopment projects and give momentum to recent development plans that will create jobs, enhance the tax base, and preserve greenspace. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of El Paso for two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct community outreach activities and perform 11 Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform 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 6 Brownfields Team (214) 665-6780 EPA Region 6 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region6/bro wnfields ) Grant Recipient: City of El Paso,TX (915) 565-2602 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-07-045 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2007 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |