V® PR0^ Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidi Rancheria, CA 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 Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The Trinidad Rancheria is a federally recognized Indian Tribe with 250 members and is located near the City of Trinidad. Members of the Trinidad Rancheria are descendants of three northern California tribes: the Yurok, Wiyot, and Tolowa. The City of Trinidad and the Trinidad Rancheria depend upon the local tourist economy and the fishing industry. Members of the Trinidad Rancheria have household and per capita incomes below the state median, and 70 percent of adults live below the poverty level. Subsistence fishing and seaweed gathering at ancestral sites along the coastline in Trinidad Bay are essential to physical health and cultural well-being. The harbor has been designated an "Area of Special Biological Significance" by the state for kelp beds located in the bay. When the target site is cleaned up, the Trinidad Rancheria plans to build a new pier on the property. The new pier is expected to provide professional and recreational fishing opportunities. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the Trinidad Pier and Harbor at 1 Bay Street, Trinidad. The 60-year-old pier includes a mooring field, boat launching, and cleaning and maintenance facilities. It is discharging creosote and creosote-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to Trinidad Bay. Grant funds will be used to deconstruct the pier, and remove and recycle materials from the site. 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 9 Brownfields Team (415) 972-3091 EPA Region 9 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region9/bro wnfields ) Grant Recipient: Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria,CA (707) 677-0211 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-09-278 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |