Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

Fort Worth, TX

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.

ASSESSMENT GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the City of Fort Worth for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct an inventory of sites, perform Phase I and Phase II site assessments, and prepare cleanup plans which focus on the three City Council Districts in central Fort Worth. Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform the same tasks at sites with petroleum contamination.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Fort Worth was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The three targeted districts have a total population of 198,721. They are located in the center of Fort Worth (population 535,420) and are the most economically distressed areas of the city. The city's highest unemployment rates, in excess of 10 percent, are found in portions of these districts. The districts have minority populations of between 70 and 80 percent. Fifteen to 24 percent of households have incomes under $15,000, and 23 to 41 percent of adults over 25 do not have a high school diploma. Residents of these districts also suffer from high rates of asthma and other respiratory ailments. This project is expected to stimulate economic development, create new jobs, and increase the local tax base. Removal of contaminants that pose exposure threats will protect the health of residents in the targeted 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 6 Brownfields Team
214-665-2180
http://www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields

Grant Recipient: Fort Worth, TX
817-392-8136

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