Environmental News

FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2001

Whitman Announces $4 Million Pilot Project
To Clean up Underground Storage Tank Sites

Chris Paulitz 202-564-9556 / paulitz.chris@epa.gov

Administrator Christie Whitman today announced that EPA will provide $4 million in financial assistance to clean up contamination from leaking underground storage tanks around the nation. The Agency expects to select up to 40 pilot projects to help states and cities clean up these properties and foster redevelopment by returning them to productive economic and public use.

"These sites have caused problems that in many cases have very costly solutions. With this pilot money, recipients will be able to accelerate cleanup and return properties to viable use," said Whitman."Fostering clean up at these sites not only restores the land but helps protect our water resources from petroleum contamination. The new pilot program is similar to our Brownfields initiatives in that it can help revitalize industrial areas and communities."

While Brownfields has been extremely successful, it has been unable to address abandoned petroleum tanks. These new pilots are building on the successful Brownfields program by bridging that gap. The pilot project, called USTfields, involves abandoned or under-used industrial and commercial properties with perceived or actual contamination from petroleum that has leaked from underground storage tanks (USTs).

EPA is inviting states, territories and federally-recognized Indian Tribes as well as eligible intertribal consortia to compete for these pilots. Each selected pilot will receive up to $100,000 in Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund monies. The deadline for submitting proposals for the USTfields Pilots is October 22. The announcement of the selected pilots will take place by the end of the year.