Brownfields 2005 Grant Fact Sheet

Salmon Urban Renewal Agency, ID

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.

CLEANUP GRANT

$113,490 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Salmon Urban Renewal Agency for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be used to develop a cleanup plan; excavate, remove, and dispose of petroleum-contaminated soils; and demolish an existing structure at the Beasley site, a former service station at 204 Main Street in Salmon, Idaho. Funding also will be used for public involvement activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Salmon Urban Renewal Agency was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The City of Salmon (population 3,122) is an economically distressed rural community in a remote area of Lemhi County, Idaho. Ninety-three percent of the land in the area is federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Historically, the city's economy was based on the agricultural, timber, and mining industries. With the decline in these industries, the economy and employment in the area have been transitioning to service industries and tourism. The average unemployment for Lemhi County is significantly higher that the state average, and per capita income is 66 percent of the national average. Tourism has become important to the city, accounting for 20 percent of the local economy. It is projected to grow significantly over the next few years. The Beasley site, a former gas station on Main Street, is a critical parcel in the city's planned Town Square Park. The park is a key component in the revitalization of the downtown business district. The Beasley site is the primary entrance area to the park. Once remediated, the site is expected to include a commercial project, public parking, and greenspace.

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 10 Brownfields Team
206-553-2100
http://www.epa.gov/r10earth, click on "Superfund", scroll down and click on "Brownfields"

Grant Recipient: Salmon Urban Renewal Agency, ID
208-756-8137

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