Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet

Salem, OR

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

$132,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Salem for a brownfields cleanup grant. Petroleum funds will be used for cleanup of the Cradle Property, a blighted and contaminated former gas station that has been vacant for many years. Grant funds will be used for cleanup activities, including the excavation of contaminated soils and treatment of residual groundwater contamination.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Salem was selected for a brownfields cleanup grant. The target site is in the North Gateway Urban Renewal Area, a low-income area where the population is 25 percent Hispanic. Restoring the Cradle Property, coupled with a multimillion-dollar street scape improvement, is anticipated to spur revitalization of the site and surrounding district. Once redeveloped, the site has the potential to provide more than 20 new jobs as well as housing units above street-level retail and neighborhood services. The redevelopment would increase local property values for nearby businesses and add to the city's tax base.

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 10 Brownfields Team
206-553-2100
www.epa.gov/r10earth, click on "Superfund", scroll down and click on "Brownfields"

Grant Recipient: City of Salem, OR
503-588-6173

Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City of Salem 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.