Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet

West Sacramento, 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

$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of West Sacramento for a brownfields assessment grant. The city will use grant funds to conduct Phase I and Phase II assessments of properties in the blighted and economically stagnant West Capitol Avenue Corridor area, which fell into decline with the construction of a major new transportation route through the city. Grant funds will also be used to conduct community outreach activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of West Sacramento (population 36,600) was selected to receive an assessment grant. Assessment grant funds will be focused on the blighted and economically stagnant West Capitol Avenue Corridor area. Prior to construction of Interstate/Business 80, the corridor was the main route between Sacramento and the San Francisco Region. West Capitol Avenue was filled with highway commercial services, including gas stations, repair shops, wrecking yards, motels, restaurants, and dry cleaners. When the major transportation route moved to I-80, the corridor became stagnant and is now in a state of decline. Forty-two percent of West Capitol Avenue Corridor residents have annual household incomes of less than $20,000, and the area has a 12 percent unemployment rate. The city plans to redevelop the area as a central corridor with a dynamic mix of retail and office development including housing, transportation, and public facilities. The project entails a community outreach effort that will provide ample opportunities for community involvement.

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: City of West Sacramento, CA
916-617-4555

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