I jBt; | Brownfields 2006 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
Belle Fourche, SD
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
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.
Community Description
The City of Belle Fourche was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located on the northern
rim of the Black Hills of western South Dakota, Belle
Fourche (population 4,577) once was a cattle and
agricultural hub. Following the Black Hills gold rush of
1870, farmers and ranchers flooded the area. By 1895,
Belle Fourche was shipping over 2,500 carloads of cattle
per month, making it the world's largest livestock
shipping point. More recently, the city's agricultural
economy has declined. Today, bentonite mining and
processing companies are Belle Fourche's largest
industries. The city's median household income is only 64
percent of the national average. Numerous brownfields
sites have been identified in the city, particularly in the
riverfront walkway and bike path redevelopment area
along the Belle Fourche River and in the aging downtown
business district. The assessment of brownfields is the
first step toward creating the planned riverfront walk and
bike path, which is envisioned as an alternative means of
transportation and as a greenspace. When brownfields are
revitalized, they will be used for new commercial and
residential development. Brownfields redevelopment will
create community pride, increase the tax base, generate
jobs, and create a viable business district and safe
recreation areas.
Assessment Grant
$159,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Belle Fourche for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to identify,
inventory, and assess potential brownfields
properties in the city, and to conduct five to ten
Phase I environmental site assessments and up to
three Phase II environmental site assessments.
Grant funds also will be used to conduct
community involvement 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 8 Brownfields Team
(303)312-7074
EPA Region 8 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region8/bro wnfields )
Grant Recipient: City of Belle Fourche,SD
(605) 394-1706
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-06-168
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2006
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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