Brownfields 2006 Grant Fact Sheet

Nevada City, CA

EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders 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 hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Nevada City for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to strengthen local partnerships through community outreach activities, develop an assessment protocol, assess properties, prioritize sites for cleanup, and analyze cleanup options for mine-scarred lands in the city.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Nevada City was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Located in northeastern California within the Deer Creek watershed, Nevada City (population 3,001) has a long history of gold mining operations, with 16 major mines in the area. The city will focus on assessing five major mine tailing areas located in the heart of Nevada City. This area is close to residential neighborhoods and four elementary schools. Historical research and preliminary work have indicated that these sites likely contain elevated concentrations of mercury and arsenic. Contamination from Nevada City mine sites impacts numerous downstream communities by contaminating water and drinking water supplies and elevating mercury levels in fish. Deer Creek in particular is an important drinking water source for low-income rural areas. After brownfields assessment and eventual cleanup, the sites will be used for publicly accessible greenspace and open space for recreational, educational, and ecological restoration purposes. Brownfields redevelopment is expected to protect the residents of Nevada City and downstream communities from potential health risks, stimulate tourism, and improve water quality.

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
415-972-3092
http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/index.html

Grant Recipient: City of Nevada City, CA
530-265-2496

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