( w \ Brownfields 2005 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Sumter, SC 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 Sumter was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located in the heart of South Carolina, Sumter (population 39,643) is 45 minutes from the capital, Columbia. It is an industrial- and military-based community on the verge of losing several of its manufacturers and, potentially, Shaw Air Force Base, which is on the Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closures List. The cleanup site is in the city's federally designated Empowerment Zone (EZ), which has a population of 13,127. More than 90 percent of the EZ residents are African-American, and almost 42 percent do not have high school diplomas. The unemployment rate is 15.5 percent, and more than 28 percent of the EZ families live in poverty. Brownfields redevelopment in the EZ will create a more attractive environment for residents and lead to new businesses, jobs, and an increased tax base for the city. The Old Western Auto site, targeted for cleanup, will be leased to the local technical college for its Allied Health Program, creating both jobs and training opportunities within walking distance for residents of the EZ. Redevelopment will increase property values and create greenspace. Cleanup Grant $50,000 for hazardous substances $50,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Sumter for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be used for community outreach, planning, and site cleanup for both petroleum and hazardous substances contamination at the Old Western Auto site on Main Street, which covers almost an entire city block. Since the 1800s, the site has been used for a variety of purposes such as an auto dealership, ice and fuel company, filling station, farm store, telephone manufacturing company, and battery storage facility. 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 Sumter, SC (803) 436-2575 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-05-183 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2005 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |