Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

Cedar Rapids, 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, the President 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 GRANTS

$400,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the City of Cedar Rapids for two brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances funds will be used to clean up two neighboring sites, the former Iowa Iron Works and Iowa Steel properties, located at 400 and 415 12th Avenue, SE. The sites are contaminated with arsenic, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, oil, and perchloroethylene. Once they are cleaned up, the sites will be redeveloped to accommodate retail, public services, housing, and recreational facilities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Cedar Rapids was selected to receive two brownfields cleanup grants. The target neighborhood (population 1,842) near downtown Cedar Rapids (population 120,758) is a former enclave of Czech immigrants. As this ethnic population became more integrated into the general society, the area lost its community image and the corresponding services. Today, the target area is 31 percent minority, the median household income is 65 percent less than the city median, 24.5 percent of the families live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate is 14 percent. Both sites will become part of a larger revitalization effort. Sinclair Square, a 45,000 square foot mixed-use facility with a community center, senior center, market, city recreational offices, and small business, will be built on the old iron works property. Associated development is planned for the old steel site.

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: Cedar Rapids, IA
319-286-5046

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