w5 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 ------- 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 ' ------- |