Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

San Benito County, 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.

ASSESSMENT GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected San Benito County for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to develop a remediation plan and risk assessment for a former mine site in Panoche Valley that has been discharging mercury and acid mine drainage to surrounding areas for three decades. Funds also will be used for development of site use alternatives, and community involvement.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

San Benito County was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. San Benito County (population 56,000) is an agricultural community, where much of the land is owned by the federal government. The target area, Panoche Valley, is primarily ranching country. A one-room schoolhouse is sufficient to serve the children who are among the Valley's approximately 100 residents. The mine site had been the second largest producer of mercury in North America. The eroded and degraded conditions at the site are preventing the restoration and beneficial use of 380 acres of land as a designated historic landmark. The site also attracts criminal activity. This project is expected to enhance waterways to benefit small businesses downstream from the site and draw visitors to the historic area, generating revenues and jobs in the community.

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: San Benito County, CA
831-636-4110

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