Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet

Greensboro, NC

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.

ASSESSMENT GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Greensboro for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct assessment activities in the South Elm Street neighborhood. This area covers about 10 acres in a three-block area south of downtown and contains a mixture of vacant industrial and commercial areas. The neighborhood lies at the entrance of downtown Greensboro from two major highways.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Greensboro was selected to receive an assessment grant. The city is focusing its brownfields activities on the South Elm Street area, which is a gateway to the city's downtown. Brownfields in the area include a mixture of vacant industrial and commercial properties. A minor league ballpark had been planned for the South Elm Street area, but concerns about environmental hazards in the area diverted investment to another location. About 76 percent of residents of the South Elm Street community are minorities, and 31 percent live in poverty. The South Elm Street area is adjacent to Greensboro's central business district, where renewed community interest has led to recent redevelopment initiatives, including new residential and mixed-use developments. The City of Greensboro will develop a community advisory committee of neighborhood residents, economic development agencies, redevelopers, and city and county officials to coordinate community involvement in the redevelopment process.

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 4 Brownfields Team
404-562-8661
http://www.epa.gov/region04/waste/bf/

Grant Recipient: City of Greensboro, NC
336-373-2509

Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City of Greensboro has not received brownfields grant funding.

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