/ 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 ------- |