Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet

Des Moines, IA

EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic development 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.

CLEANUP GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Des Moines for a brownfields cleanup grant. The cleanup grant will be used to clean up a fenced-off site within the Guthrie Avenue Business Park. The site (portions of Blocks 13 and 14 plus the vacated East 19th Street right-of-way) is adjacent to existing residences. The primary environmental concerns at the site are arsenic, chromium, and lead co-mingled with petroleum hydrocarbons.

REVOLVING LOAN FUND GRANT

$1,000,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Des Moines for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which Des Moines will provide loans and subgrants to conduct cleanup activities. The funds will be used initially to assist in cleanup activities essential to redevelopment of the Riverpoint West area, which is characterized by light and heavy industrial use, lumber processing, and scrap metal recycling.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Des Moines, a federal Enterprise Community, was selected to receive cleanup and revolving loan fund grants. The city has targeted sites in the Guthrie Avenue Business Park and Riverpoint West areas for cleanup. Residents near the Guthrie Avenue Business Park are 74 percent minorities and have an average per capita income of only $11,622. The 300-acre Riverpoint West area is part of a state-designated Gateway Enterprise Zone. Residents near Riverpoint West suffer from high unemployment and a 30 percent poverty rate. Clean sites in these areas will attract new investments, create jobs, and enhance the environment in underused brownfields areas.

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 at: www.epa.gov/brownfields.

EPA Region 7 Brownfields Team
913-551-7786
http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brownfields/index.htm

Grant Recipient: Grant Recipient: City of Des Moines, IA
515-283-4944

Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City of Des Moines has received brownfields funding for assessment, revolving loan fund, and Showcase Community grants.

The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.