Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

Ohlone Community College District, Newark, 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, 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 GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the Ohlone Community College District for a brownfields cleanup grant. The grant will be used to clean up hazardous substances contamination on an 82-acre property on Cherry Street in Newark that has been used for agricultural purposes since the 1930s. This site will become a new community college campus center that will provide student training and education, and services for the residents of surrounding communities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

Ohlone Community College District was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The district serves the cities of Newark and Fremont and a portion of Union City, with a combined population of 245,884. Of the 7,974 full-time equivalent students enrolled in the district, approximately 84 percent are Asian, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic. Minority populations account for approximately 48 percent of Newark's residents. The new college center will provide occupational job training in a variety of health sciences and technology fields. In addition to creating educational and employment opportunities for the students, the new site will generate job opportunities for community residents.

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: Ohlone Community College District, CA
510-659-7307

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