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Brownfields 2000 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
Silver City, NM
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 Silver City for a Brownfields Pilot.
Silver City was also selected to receive additional
funding for assessments at Brownfields properties to be
used for greenspace purposes. Silver City (population
12,064), which is situated on the east slope of the
Continental Divide in southwestern New Mexico, was
established in 1870 when silver was found in the area. In
contrast to other mining communities which eventually
became ghost towns, Silver City continued to thrive by
expanding its economy to include copper mining, cattle
ranching, and lumber milling. In 1983, Western New
Mexico University was established in the town. Today,
the town is marked by an active tourism industry, a
vibrant arts community, an annual bicycle race, rodeos,
conferences, music festivals, and a growing retiree and
"telecommuter" community. Cleanup and redevelopment
of brownfields in and near the town's historic district
would help retain and expand downtown businesses.
The town proposes four initial brownfields for the Pilot
project, including Beacon Hill, a 462-acre parcel that
was one of the first areas to be mined near Silver City
and is now proposed for open space, trails, and other
recreational uses; the old town landfill, a 50- acre closed
and capped landfill adjacent to the city golf course; and
two mill sites.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 05/01/2000
Amount: $200,000
$50,000 for Greenspace
Profile: Silver City targets four sites with plans to
create openspace and greenspace at Beacon Hill.
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 6 Brownfields Team
(214) 665-6780
EPA Region 6 Brownfields Web site
(http ://www .epa.gov/region6/brownfields)
Grant Recipient: Silver City,NM
(505) 538-3731
Objectives
Silver City's overarching aim is to stimulate investment
in the community and promote a future based on
economically sustainable development and adequate
environmental health. The town seeks to promote
brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, preservation of
open space, and increased recreational and economic
opportunities that are compatible with the town's
western small-town atmosphere and rich cultural
heritage. Silver City plans to preserve open areas
(through the identification of trail corridors and other
activities), improve air quality, promote groundwater
recharge, preserve distinctive view and natural features,
buffer neighborhoods, and provide a contrast to urban
development.
The Pilot will integrate planning activities for Boston
Hill with greenspace planning for other target sites, such
as additional ballfields at the Old Landfill and a
trail/riparian corridor along San Vicente Arroyo and
Pinos Altos Creek to include the Mill Sites and a
Innrlfill hr\rrr\w m+
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 500-F-00-120
May 00

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Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
•	Conducting environmental assessments,
including soil sampling, surface and groundwater
monitoring, and research on historical uses of the
four sites;
•	Conducting engineering studies and cleanup
designs, including cost estimates;
•	Developing site-specific reuse plans;
•	Ensuring community involvement with the
targeted sites; and
•	Performing mapping and surveying activities,
environmental assessments, and greenspace
planning activities at Boston Hill.
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-00-120
May 00

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