Brownfields Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet

BACKGROUND

EPA has selected the City of East Point for a Brownfields Pilot. East Point (population 32,607) is located southwest of Atlanta and is adjacent to Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport. The City's population is 66% African American, and as many as 36% of the residents in the targeted area live below the poverty level. The unemployment rate in these communities ranges from 12% to 17%, compared to the State's unemployment rate of 6.2%.

East Point's industrial base has served Atlanta for more than 100 years. As Atlanta Hartsfield Airport has developed and grown, the surrounding communities have expanded to accommodate the airport's needs. Due to its industrial heritage and accompanying environmental legacy, however, East Point missed out on the majority of this growth due to real or perceived contamination. Within the City limits, there are various abandoned or idled industrial properties serving as a barrier to development and economic growth. In an effort to encourage growth in the area, East Point has identified a five-acre site known as "No Man's Land," located between the north and south branches of the South River, as a redevelopment candidate. The Pilot will focus on an abandoned cotton mill waste lagoon and neighboring properties.

OBJECTIVES

East Point's objective is to preserve and revitalize the eroding City neighborhoods; encourage current residents to stay and entice new residents to settle; provide jobs and economic growth; and spur these communities back to social, environmental, and economic health. Ultimately, the City plans to redevelop the targeted area into an inland port. The Pilot's assessment of No Man's Land will initiate this larger City-wide effort. The Pilot will support and develop relationships with active neighborhood groups to continue coordinating the cleanup and revitalization efforts within the City's overall planning process.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:

• Creating a Geographic Information System (GIS) database outlining property ownership and environmental assessment status;

• Conducting comprehensive site sampling to identify contamination on the selected property;

• Conducting a preliminary risk assessment;

• Developing a preliminary design to identify the most cost-effective approach to clean up any contamination on the property; and

• Developing and implementing a community outreach program to provide information to affected communities and get their input on cleanup and reuse options for the targeted area.

CONTACTS

City of East Point
(404) 765-1001

Regional Brownfields Team
EPA - Region 4
(404) 562-8661

Visit the EPA Region 4 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf/

For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/