A \ Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet i<5 Battle Creek, Ml 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 February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description The City of Battle Creek was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Battle Creek (population 52,233) is located in southern Michigan at the confluence of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Rivers. Construction of a railroad through the area in the late 1800s enabled the rapid expansion of manufacturing facilities along the rivers. Breakfast cereals were invented in Battle Creek around the same time. Over the past 20 years, the city's economy has been declining due to the closing and downsizing of automobile and other manufacturing facilities. The decline has resulted in numerous brownfields close to residential neighborhoods, an overall decrease in population, and a marked increase in unemployment. The city's unemployment rate is 10.3 percent. The population decline is particularly pronounced in the city's urban core, where many brownfields are located. Assessment of brownfields will enable the city to take the critical first step to address brownfields that are limiting redevelopment and negatively impacting human health and the environment. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) $200,000 for petroleum (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected the City of Battle Creek for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances and petroleum grant funds will be used to update the city's brownfields inventory, conduct 12 Phase I and 6 Phase II environmental site assessments, and prepare 6 baseline environmental assessments. Grant funds also will be used for cleanup planning and community outreach 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 5 Brownfields Team (312) 886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfiel ds) Grant Recipient: City of Battle Creek,MI (269) 966-3378 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-09-266 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |