Brownfields 2005 Grant Fact Sheet

Bellaire, OH

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, President George W. Bush 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 petroleum
EPA has selected the Village of Bellaire for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory, perform seven to ten Phase I and four to eight Phase II site assessments, and devise a remedial action plan. Funds also will be used to conduct community involvement activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Village of Bellaire was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The village has a population of 4,892 and lies in the federally designated Appalachian area of southeastern Ohio. Bellaire is bound on the east by the Ohio River and on the west by rolling coal-bearing hills. The river, with facilities for passengers and cargo traffic, determined the location of the village at its beginning. The village has a strong industrial heritage, but is suffering from the stigma associated with its location in a coal mining region, and the mine-scarred lands within and under the village. It has lost population over the past 50 years due to the loss of employment opportunities in the steel, glass, railroad, and coal mining industries. Over 21 percent of families live below the poverty level, and the unemployment rate exceeds nine percent. The area's primary concerns are the potential health impact of brownfields, and the job retention critical to the economic well-being of the community. Brownfields redevelopment is expected to create jobs, attract business development, and develop greenspace, especially along the riverfront.

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 5 Brownfields Team
312-886-7576
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

Grant Recipient: Village of Bellaire, OH
740-676-6539

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