Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana

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

$43,431 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana for a brownfields cleanup grant. The cleanup grant will be used to clean up hazardous substances contamination at the vacant former Modern Iron Works facility on Mansfield Road in Shreveport. Environmental concerns include hydrocarbons in the soil, underground storage tanks, drums, asbestos-containing materials, lead-based paint, and PCB light ballasts. Grant funds will also be used for cleanup planning and community outreach. The site will be developed as facilities for technology companies in the InterTech Science Park.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The Former Modern Iron Works facility is within the 800-acre InterTech Science Park, which is anchored by the three largest hospitals in Shreveport. Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, which has 252,161 residents, of whom 2,026 live in the immediate area of the site. Approximately 87 percent of this area's residents are African-American, and the per capita income is only 48 percent of the national level. The site is part of a local Enterprise Zone, and is surrounded by ten neighborhoods that are eligible for Community Development Block Grant funds. As part of the InterTech Science Park Master Plan, the site will be used for developing facilities and amenities for biotechnology, medical, information technology, and life sciences companies that will stimulate economic growth in the region.

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: Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana
318-675-4109

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