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EPA: $5.6 million in grants for contaminated land cleanup, economic development in Ohio

Release Date: 05/08/2009
Contact Information: Mick Hans, 312-353-5050, [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-OPA081

Grant amount bolstered by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds

(Chicago - May 8, 2009) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced today the availability of an estimated $5.6 million in grants bolstered by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to help communities in Ohio clean up sites known as "brownfields" which may be contaminated by hazardous chemicals or pollutants. The grants which include $1.8 million from the Recovery Act and $3.8 million from the EPA brownfields general program funding, help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use.

"Cleaning and reusing contaminated properties provides the catalyst to improving the lives of residents living in or near brownfields communities," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. "A revitalized brownfields site reduces threats to human health and the environment, creates green jobs, promotes community involvement and attracts investment in local neighborhoods."

"Providing these grants to Ohio communities is an important step forward for both the environment and local economies," said Bharat Mathur, acting regional administrator.

Applicants selected to receive Recovery Act funds are:

Barberton, $200,000 petroleum cleanup grant to address the Pete's Sunoco site at 496 4th St.

Coshocton Port Authority (2), a $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and assess 10 sites, and a $200,000 grant to conduct site assessments at properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Defiance County, $200,000 grant to inventory brownfields and assess hazardous substances at 29 sites.

Geneva, $200,000 grant to inventory brownfields and assess hazardous substances at eight sites.

Ottawa County, $200,000 grant to inventory brownfields and assess hazardous substance at 28 sites.

Sandusky, $200,000 petroleum cleanup grant to address the Sandusky Cabinets site at 513 E. Washington St. and 430 E. Market St.

Toledo (2), a $200,000 grant to assess at least 13 sites with assistance from the Toledo-Lucas Port Authority, and a $200,000 grant to conduct at least five site assessments at properties with potential petroleum contamination.

Applicants selected to receive brownfields general program funds are:

Conneaut, $200,000 hazardous substances assessment grant to inventory brownfields and conduct site assessments at eight properties.

Cuyahoga County, $1 million grant to assess hazardous substance at about 35 sites.

Fairborn, $200,000 hazardous substances cleanup grant to address the CEMEX cement plant site at 506 E. Xenia Drive.

Jefferson County, $1 million grant to inventory brownfields and assess hazardous substances and potential petroleum contamination at more than 35 properties.

Lorain, $1 million revolving loan fund grant to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances.

Struthers, $200,000 petroleum cleanup grant to address the southeast portion of the CASTLO Industrial Park site at 100 S. Bridge St.

Toledo, $200,000 hazardous substances cleanup grant to address the ACME Plant property at 1401 Front St.

The grants will help to assess, clean up and redevelop abandoned, contaminated properties known as brownfields. Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. In addition, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 expanded the definition of a brownfield to include mine-scarred lands or sites contaminated by petroleum or the manufacture of illegal drugs. Grant recipients are selected through a national competition. The Brownfields Program encourages development of America's estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at http://www.recovery.gov.

More information about brownfields cleanup revolving loan fund pilots and grants and other brownfields activities under the Recovery Act: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/.

Additional information on the EPA Region 5 brownfields recipients and their projects is available at https://www.epa.gov/r5brownfields/.