Six Brownfields Training, Research and Technical Assistance Grants Announced

Contact: Enesta Jones, 202-564-4355/ jones.enesta@epa.gov

(Washington, DC – June 23, 2005)

EPA has named six organizations as recipients of a combined $1.4 million in Brownfields Training, Research and Technical Assistance Grants. The purpose of these grants is to focus brownfields attention on environmental and human health conditions in low income communities and socio-economically disadvantaged communities and to provide research, training and technical assistance to communities to enable them to stimulate economic and beneficial uses. EPA will fund successful applicants for periods ranging from 1-5 years up to a total of $300,000 each. Brownfields Training, Research and Technical Assistance Grants are available to eligible government applicants and non-profit organizations including public and non-profit private universities. Of the twenty-six applications EPA received by the May 1, 2005 application deadline, the following six organizations have been choosen to receive grants.

1. The University of North Carolina - Charlotte - Working with the city of Charlotte to establish a new methodology to empirically assess the multi-dimensional impacts of Brownfields projects on communities.
2. National Center for Neighborhood and Brownfields Redevelopment, Rutgers University. - Focusing on training and technical assistance to commuity-based organizations (CBOs) in low-income communities across country to encourage greater involvement in brownfields.
3. American Planning Association - Partnering with Bethel New Life in Chicago, Illinois to create a 'workbook' and training program for Community Development Corporations.
4. University of Louisville - Targeting historically challenging areas to redevelopment and conducting workshops on building constructive community participation in brownfields redevelopment.
5. Northeast Midwest Institute - Identification of strategies, methods and tools for disadvantaged communities.
6. Duke University - Examining state public participation approaches to develop additional tools to assist decision-makers and enhance community involvement in brownfields.