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Brownfields 1999 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
Seneca Nation, NY
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 Seneca Nation of Indians for a
Brownfields Pilot. The Seneca Nation (population 6,899)
is part of a larger confederacy of Indian Nations who
occupy land in New York. They hold title to three
distinct territories in the southwest region of the state.
The project site is located in the City of Salamanca
(population 6,566), which is located in the Allegany
Territory. The Nation operates a gasoline station and
convenience store on the Allegany Territory, which is
also home to a national Indian museum and campground
facilities. This territory is a prime highway and railroad
transportation corridor for the state.
The Pilot targets a long and narrow 100-acre rail yard in
the City of Salamanca. The city has a long history with
railroad operations, dating back to the 1800s. The site is
owned by the Seneca Nation and, beginning in 1963, the
railroad lines were leased by various rail operators, until
all use was discontinued in the 1980s. An initial Phase I
assessment indicated groundwater contamination at the
rail yard. The rail yard site is located over a primary
water supply aquifer in a residential and commercial area
of the city. Due to the geology of the land-characterized
by highly permeable outwash sands and gravels-the
potential for the contamination to migrate to nearby
residences, water supply wells, and the Allegany River
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 06/01/1999
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets a 100-acre rail yard located
near the Allegany River in southwestern New York.
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 2 Brownfields Team
(212) 637-4309
EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region02/brownfields/)
Grant Recipient: Seneca Nation of Indians,NY
(716)532-4900
Objectives
The overall objective of the Seneca Nation of Indians is
to protect land and resources for present and future
generations. The threat to their water supply is of
paramount concern to the Seneca Nation. The Nation
accepts its role in protecting the Seneca land base and
also recognizes the need and opportunity to enhance the
health and diversity of its local economy. The Nation
owns the entire rail yard property, and could use the Erie
Depot building for business offices, retail or speciality
stores, restaurants, an arts and crafts center, or an
expansion of the Salamanca Rail Museum. The actual
rail yards could be used for parking, bike or walking
paths, or space for additional buildings. The Pilot will
assess the environmental conditions at the rail yard site
and develop a comprehensive redevelopment plan that
protects and sustains the Seneca land base.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 500-F-99-119
Jun 99

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watershed is high. Additionally, this site is a large tract
of underused land in the city center that is mostly
blighted and overgrown, except for one remaining
on-site building, the historic Erie Depot.
•	Conducting initial and expanded Phase II
assessments on the rail yard property;
•	Developing site-specific cleanup alternatives and
cost plans for redevelopment;
•	Identifying a redevelopment plan that is
consistent with the overall cultural and economic
goals of the Seneca Nation; and
•	Educating both the Seneca community and
Salamanca residents about environmental
conditions, cleanup alternatives, and
redevelopment plans for the site.
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	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 500-F-99-119
_ . .	and Emergency	.
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	Jun 99
Washington, DC 20450	^ v '

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