Brownfields Cleanup Revolving
Loan Fund Pilot Fact Sheet

Carson, CA

EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.

PILOT SNAPSHOT
Carson, CA	Date of Announcement: May 2000 Amount: $500,000
BCRLF Target Area: City redevelopment areas Carson, California

BACKGROUND

Prior to its incorporation in 1968, the landscape of the City of Carson, California was dominated by heavy industrial operations, junkyards, and landfills. As a result, a number of properties now exist with contaminated soil and groundwater. Carson is an EPA Brownfield Assessment Pilot, and is currently identifying and characterizing brownfield sites with a high potential for redevelopment. Carson's BCRLF is targeting the City's identified redevelopment areas.

BCRLF OBJECTIVES

The objectives of Carson's BCRLF are to:

Provide a model for success for brownfields remediation and revolving loan fund financing procedures;
Attract greater interest and additional seed capital to conduct long-term redevelopment;
Assume a leadership role in California's Voluntary Cleanup Program and assist other California communities in replicating success;
Solicit the participation of involved stakeholders and provide technical assistance to facilitate cleanup; and
Provide a viable financing source at below market rates that will attract private capital and result in sustainable cleanup and reuse efforts.

Carson's BCRLF will give preference to projects located in the City's redevelopment areas or that are on the City's Brownfields Assessment Pilot priority list.

FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS

The City of Carson's Community Development Department (CDD) will serve as the lead agency. The CDD will share fund manager duties with the National Development Council (NDC). NDC will evaluate loan applications in accordance with the City's underwriting criteria. The appropriate environmental regulatory agencies, such as the California EPA Department of Toxic and Substance Control and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, will act as site managers. All of Carson's $500,000 BCRLF award will be allocated for loans.

LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES

To leverage the BCRLF, Carson plans to pursue US Department of Housing and Urban Development Brownfields Economic Development Initiative grants, Section 108 loans, and Community Development Block Grant funds, as well as US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration grants. The City also has redevelopment tax increment funds that can be used to leverage cleanup efforts within the City's redevelopment areas. The City will contribute significant resources to administer the fund.

Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of funding also apply to BCRLF funds.

CONTACTS

Community Development Region 9 BCRLF
Department Coordinator
(310) 952-1763 (415) 744-2237

Visit the EPA Region 9 Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/index.html

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/

United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460

Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)

EPA 500-F-00-141
May 2000

Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)

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Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot Fact Sheet