In excess of $62.5 million awarded nationally
LOS ANGELES - The E.P.A. today awarded a $200,000 hazardous substances cleanup grant to the City of Brea, Calif., as part of the EPA's Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) Program. This year, the plan awarded $62.5 million nationally to In excess of 240 recipients.
"These grants will go a long way to bring areas in Brea back into productive reuse while involving community members in the process," said Jared Blumenfeld EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "EPA is pleased to fund these local plans that will revitalize neighborhoods, spur economic activity, and help address contamination caused by over 100 years of railroad activity."
The City of Brea's $200,000 hazardous substance grant will be used to clean up and transform the former railroad properties located between State College Boulevard and Birch Street. The former railroad right-of-way is made up of 6 segments acquired at different times. One segment was previously used for In excess of 100 years by railroad companies. The location is contaminated with arsenic and comingled hydrocarbons. Grant funds also will be used to oversee the cleanup and support community outreach activities. Once the cleanup is completed, the property will be transformed into the "Tracks of Brea," a 3 mile corridor of open space walking and bike trails.
Additionally, E.P.A. today awarded the City of Grass Valley (Calif.), and the Yuba River Charter School (Calif.) hazardous substance and petroleum cleanup grants to address contamination.
Nationally, 240 recipients have been recommended to gain $62.5 million in grants. These new investments, funded by EPA's ARC grants, provide communities with backing necessary to assess, cleanup and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.
These Brownfields grants target under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods - places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed. Approximately $29.5 million are going to communities that have been impacted by plant closures. Other selected recipients include tribes and communities in 45 states across the country, and nearly half of the grantees this year are new recipients.
There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. In excess of 20,000 properties have been assessed, and In excess of 850 properties have been cleaned up. EPA's Brownfields investments have also leveraged In excess of $19 billion in overall cleanup and redevelopment backing from public and private sources. On average $17.79 is leveraged for every E.P.A. Brownfields grant dollar spent. These investments resulted in approximately 87,000 jobs nationwide. When Brownfields are addressed, nearby property values can increase 2-3 percent.
A 2011 pilot study indicated Brownfields location redevelopment increases location efficiency, which means that residents live closer to where they work and play reducing their commute times and greenhouse gas emissions. EPA's preliminary research has also shown that redeveloping Brownfield sites results in an efficient reuse of existing infrastructure and decreasing instances of stormwater runoff. These plans can have a positive impact on community revitalization by leveraging jobs, producing clean energy, and providing recreation opportunities for surrounding neighborhoods.
More information on Brownfields grants by state: http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/
More information on EPA's Brownfields:
Plan http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
Success Stories http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm
Benefits http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/overview/Brownfields-Benefits-postcard.pdf
