Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

New York, NY

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

$270,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected New York City for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to perform environmental assessments throughout the publicly accessible natural areas of the Mariners Marsh brownfield site in northwest Staten Island. This applicant's request for a waiver of the $200,000 assessment grant limit was based on the site-specific information provided in their proposal. Phase II assessments will be performed on a 6.25-acre parcel that will be used for ballfields, and Phase I and II assessments will be performed on the remaining 101 acres.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

New York City was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The target area is a 107-acre property along the north shore of Staten Island. Formerly an industrial site occupied by a steel manufacturer, a shipbuilding concern, and a rail line, the site was plagued by neglect and illegal dumping of trash and vehicles. The community surrounding Mariners Marsh has a poverty rate of 27 percent and an unemployment rate of 13 percent. Per capita income is 61 percent of the city per capita. Seventy-eight percent of the residents are either African-American or Hispanic. Assessment and cleanup of this site will help the city further its goal of providing recreational opportunities and natural areas in a community that greatly lacks open space. Revitalization of the site is also expected to bring visitors and small business interest to the area.

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 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4314
http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/brownfields/

Grant Recipient: New York, NY
212-788-2937

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