Brownfields 2006 Grant Fact Sheet

Palmerton Borough, PA

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 Palmerton Borough for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to determine the extent of smelter-derived metals contamination in the region. Metals of greatest concern include arsenic, cadmium, and zinc. Grant funds also will be used to address community-wide concerns related to levels of contamination and groundwater transport of metals, and to perform community outreach and education activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

Palmerton Borough was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The target communities are Palmerton Borough; three surrounding municipalities of Bowmanstown, East Penn Township, and Lower Towamensing Township; and a broad region of adjacent communities in Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties. Located in eastern Pennsylvania, these rural communities and villages have a combined population of approximately 200,000, more than 58 percent of whom are considered low-to-moderate income. Two zinc smelters operated in Palmerton for more than 80 years, emitting thousands of tons of heavy metals that were deposited by airfall in a large area around the borough. Although air quality has improved in the region since the smelters closed, ecological degradation has denuded the landscape and deterred economic development. Area residents also are concerned about the water quality of the Lehigh River, a municipal drinking water supply and recreational outlet. Brownfields assessment is expected to help determine the extent and severity of soil, water, and ecosystem contamination and allow communities to better delineate areas of concern. Brownfields redevelopment is expected to attract businesses necessary for economic revitalization, and create jobs.

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 3 Brownfields Team
215-814-3129
http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bfs/index.htm

Grant Recipient: Palmerton Borough, PA
610-826-2505

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