E.P.A. awards $352,000 brownfields grants to Elk Valley Rancheria

SAN FRANCISCO - The E.P.A. announced today that the Elk Valley Rancheria will gain $352,000 in federal grants to clean up 2 contaminated properties near Crescent City, California Elk Valley Rancheria is among 147 communities and tribes nationwide receiving backing to assess and clean up historically contaminated properties, also known as brownfields, for reuse and development.

"EPA is committed to helping tribal communities strengthen their local economy and neighborhoods by cleaning up historically contaminated properties - places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are needed most," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "Elk Valley Rancheria will use these funds to transform contaminated properties into green spaces for recreation and tourism."

Elk Valley Rancheria will use a $152,000 brownfields grant to project for the cleanup and future redevelopment of the abandoned Ocean Way Motel property along Hwy 101. The tribe will use a 2nd $200,000 brownfields grant to clean up the former Wagon Wheel Motel property along Hwy 199 south of the North Fork Smith River. Cleanup and future redevelopment at both properties will help the tribe provide recreational and tourism opportunities and remove potential sources of illegal activity at the abandoned properties.

Since the inception of EPA's brownfields plan in 1995, cumulative plan investments have leveraged in excess of $22 billion from a variety of public and private sources for cleanup and redevelopment activities. This equates to an average of $17.79 leveraged per E.P.A. brownfields dollar expended. These investments have resulted in approximately 105,942 jobs nationwide. EPA's brownfields plan empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields sites.

More information on EPA's brownfields program: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/

More information on the Elk Valley Rancheria: http://www.elk-valley.com/

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