I jBh | Brownfields 2008 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
Humboldt County, 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
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
Humboldt County was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in rural
northwestern California, Humboldt County (population
128,330) has experienced serious declines in its two
largest industries, timber and fishing. At one time, there
were more than 400 lumber mills and boatyards
operating in the county. Between the 1950s and 1997,
the lumber industry went from employing about one
half of Humboldt's labor force to employing eight
percent. Today, there are only a half-dozen operating
mills and few boatyards in the county. As area living
wages declined, home ownership became less
affordable to residents. The unemployment and poverty
rates in the county are significantly higher than the state
rates. The hundreds of acres of contaminated properties
that ring Humboldt Bay threaten the state's second
largest estuarine ecosystem. Assessment of brownfields
will help the county clarify its environmental concerns
and is expected to encourage redevelopment.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected Humboldt County for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to develop an
inventory and map of brownfields, conduct an
estimated six to 10 Phase I and one to three Phase II
environmental site assessments, and support
community involvement activities. Petroleum 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 9 Brownfields Team
(415) 972-3091
EPA Region 9 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region9/brownfields)
Grant Recipient: Humboldt County,CA
(707) 268-3735
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.
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Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	Mar 08
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