Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet

Madera County, North Fork, CA

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

$199,555 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected Madera County for a brownfields assessment grant. The county plans to use the funds to assess a former lumber mill in the town of North Fork and determine its potential for redevelopment. The closure of the lumber mill devastated the economy of this small rural town. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community involvement activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

Madera County was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. In 1994, the lumber mill in North Fork closed and 10 percent of the community's jobs were lost immediately. Between 1990 and 1998, the unemployment rate doubled. Approximately one-sixth of the town's businesses closed down and other businesses that supported the mill operation, such as logging contractors, equipment operators, and truck drivers, were put out of business. The area immediately surrounding the mill site is one of the poorest in Madera County, with 88 percent of its residents living in poverty. An assessment of potential contamination is needed to determine the cleanup options and redevelopment opportunities for the former lumber mill site so the town can recover economically. Plans for redevelopment include light industry, tourism-related business, office space, and recreational 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 9 Brownfields Team
415-972-3188
http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/

Grant Recipient: Madera County, CA
559-675-7823

Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, Madera County has received brownfields funding for revolving loan fund grants.

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