/ O \ Brownfields 1999 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
1 J Neville Township, PA
EPA Brownfields Initiative
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.
Background
EPA has selected the Township of Neville for a
Brownfields Pilot. Neville Township is an island on the
Ohio River, located in southwestern Pennsylvania. The
island is 5 miles long and four-tenths of a mile wide,
with a population of 1,273 and a 9.1 percent poverty
rate. Although there are more than 150 businesses on the
island, with the eastern end containing heavy industry,
the township's tax base has declined 40 percent in recent
years, and it continues to decline.
The island has 400 acres of brownfields, about one-third
of the island's land. These brownfields are a result of a
decline in the township's historical production of military
vehicles and steel, scrap recycling, shipping and
distribution. While the island's location, flat topography,
riverfront access and sound infrastructure make it ideal
for industrial and commercial redevelopment, issues
regarding real or perceived contamination have hindered
redevelopment to more productive uses. The island is
heavily industrialized on its east side and has a small
residential area on the west side.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 06/01/1999
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets brownfields on Neville
Island on the Ohio River.
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: Neville Township, PA
(412) 264-3442
Objectives
The Pilot's objective is to improve health and safety and
spur economic activity in Neville by completing
environmental assessments on several of the island's
brownfields sites. Cleanup and redevelopment of these
brownfields are a part of the town's comprehensive
redevelopment plan that includes rezoning the island,
which the town anticipates will improve the town's
quality of life and its economic health. The new zoning
will facilitate a transition from heavy industry on the
eastern end to light industry and distribution in the
middle, with retail, residential, and recreational uses on
the island's western end.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
•	Completing an inventory of the island's
brownfields;
•	Performing Phase I environmental assessments
on approximately five sites;
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 500-F-99-126
nil- a	ancl Emergency	.
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	Jun 99
Washington, DC 20450	^ v '

-------
•	Conducting Phase II environmental assessments
on three to four brownfields;
•	Designing cleanup plans for assessed sites; and
•	Educating and involving the community in
assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment
activities.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet
been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this
fact sheet are subject to change.
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
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
Solid Waste
EPA 500-F-99-126
Jun 99

-------