I JBt; | Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Waterloo, IA 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 The City of Waterloo was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Located in east-central Iowa, Waterloo (population 66,662) was once known as the "Factory City of Iowa." The city is burdened by the presence of vacant and underutilized sites due to the agricultural recession of the 1980s, and has lost 12.3 percent of its population since 1980. There are more than 100 brownfields throughout the city, most of which are in the city's oldest developed areas, along railroad lines, and along the U.S. Highway 63 and U.S. 20 corridors. Many brownfields in the targeted east side of the city are former heavy manufacturing facilities that used a variety of hazardous substances. Some have become a location for illegal activities such as the manufacturing of methamphetamines. The median household income in the target area is less than the state median, and 48.4 percent of residents are African-American. Twenty-two percent of residents live below the poverty level. Brownfield assessments are expected to make sites more attractive for redevelopment and reuse and attract developers. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Waterloo for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to create a brownfields inventory and perform 10 Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments in the east side of the city. Grant funds also will be used to develop two to three cleanup plans, and conduct community outreach activities. 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 7 Brownfields Team (800) 223-0425 EPA Region 7 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region7/cle anup/brownfields ) Grant Recipient: City of Waterloo,IA 319-291-4366 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-10-146 Protection Agency Response (5105T) April 2010 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |