V® PR0^ Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Central Bradford Progress Authority, Sayre Borough, PA 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 February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description The Central Bradford Progress Authority was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Sayre Borough (population 5,813) is part of a larger community situated between the Chemung and Susquehanna Rivers along the Pennsylvania-New York border in Bradford County known as the "Valley." The Valley community is a small population center in a heavily rural setting. The per capita income in the county is significantly lower than the state level. Despite an overall increase in employment in the state, the county has lost 4.7 percent of its jobs since 2004. The targeted former Sayre Railyards site is next to a low-income, high-poverty area known as Milltown. Although the target site is the only substantial brownfield site in Sayre Borough, its public health and environmental impacts are significant. Cleanup of the site will reduce threats to human health and remove an eyesore from the community. The borough and county identified the site for eventual industrial reuse, and already were approached by businesses interested in redeveloping the property. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected the Central Bradford Progress Authority for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the 25-acre former Sayre Railyards site on North Thomas Avenue in Sayre Borough. From 1909 to 1979, the Lehigh Valley Railroad used the site to manufacture and recondition locomotives. The site was later used to manufacture army tank trailers and railroad passenger cars. The site is contaminated by a light non-aqueous phase liquid plume, heavy metals, and volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. Grant funds also will be used to support community outreach activities. 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 3 Brownfields Team (215)814-3129 EPA Region 3 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bf -lr) Grant Recipient: Central Bradford Progress Authority,PA (570) 265-0937 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-09-169 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- United States c Environmental anri Fmpflpn™ EPA 560-F-09-169 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |