Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

Gresham, 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, 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

EPA has selected the City of Gresham for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory more than 100 potential brownfields, primarily in the Rockwood-West Gresham area. Following the inventory, the city will convene public forums, conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments at high-ranking sites, develop a remediation plan for one site, and develop an overall redevelopment marketing plan.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Gresham was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Gresham (population 93,660) is a suburban community located directly east of Portland in northwest Oregon. Early industry centered around farming and food processing, but the past 40 years have seen demographic changes due to urban growth. Between 1990 and 2000, Gresham experienced a 56 percent increase-from 8 percent to 12.5 percent-in people living below the poverty level, and minority populations grew from 5 percent to 21 percent. Approximately 26 percent of Gresham's citizens work within the community, most in low-wage retail and service sector jobs. Only 117 acres (5 percent of the city's industrial-zoned land) are vacant and unconstrained, placing severe limits on Gresham's ability to attract and maintain businesses and jobs. By assessing and eventually cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields, the city hopes to maximize the potential of its industrial and commercial lands, thereby stimulating the local economy and reducing threats to human health and the environment.

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 to "Related Programs" and click on "Brownfields"

Grant Recipient: Gresham, OR
Simone C. Wolter
Brownfield Grant Coordinator
City of Gresham
Business & Industry Affairs
1333 NW Eastman Pkwy
Gresham, OR 97030
phone: 503.618.2854
fax: 503.618.3301
simone.wolter@ci.gresham.or.us

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