EPA AWARDS 36 NEW BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT GRANT

[Career/Pro <cpro@igc.apc.org>]

                 FOR RELEASE:  MAY 6, 1998
EPA AWARDS 36 NEW BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT GRANTS
              Lauren Milone Mical 202-260-4358
                              
     The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today
announced 36 new pilot grants to help local communities
clean up and redevelop brownfields.  Brownfields are
abandoned pieces of land -- usually in urban areas -- that
have real or perceived contamination from previous
industrial use.  These grants will help redevelop these
sites, return them to productive community use and
revitalize local economies.  Under the Clinton/Gore
Administration's ongoing effort to cleanup and redevelop
brownfields -- including Vice President Gore's leadership in
urban revitalization -- 157 pilot project grants have been
awarded nationally, totaling $28 million to date, and an
additional 64 projects will be selected for grants later
this year.  
     (For more information about Brownfields Initiative
visit EPA's Internet Home Page at:
http:\\www.epa.gov\brownfields.  Information also can be
obtained from the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1-800-424-9346
or 703-412-9810.)

     "By working to transform brownfields into hubs of
economic activity, we will create new jobs, new revenue and
new opportunity," Vice President Gore said today.  "These
partnerships bring together government, business, community
leaders and citizens to guarantee stronger and healthier
neighborhoods for the 21st century -- places where our
children can grow, our families can thrive and the economy
is sure to prosper."

     The Brownfields grants awarded today total $200,000 for
each community.  The communities and tribes recently
selected to receive the new grants include:  Lewiston,
Maine; New Britain, Conn.; Pioneer Valley, Mass.; Methuen,
Mass.; Springfield, Mass.; Chelsea, Mass.; Malden, Medford
and Everett, Mass. (one grant); New Hampshire Department of
Environmental Services; Norwich and Griswold, Conn. (one
grant); Niagara County, N.Y.; Yonkers, N.Y.; Ogdensburg,
N.Y.; Johnstown, Pa.; Wheeling, W.Va.; Northampton County,
Pa.; Charleston, S.C.; Jackson, Miss.; Winston-Salem, N.C.;
Seminole Tribe, Fla.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Calumet City, Ill.;
Hennepin County, Minn.; Dayton, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wis.; Sante
Fe, N.M.; Austin, Texas; Galveston, Texas; Grand Prairie,
Texas; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Kemmemer, Wyo.; Missoula,
Mont.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Colton, Calif.; Tohono O'odham
Nation, Ariz.; Port of Seattle, Wash.; and Everett, Wash.

     EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner said, "Our effort to
clean up brownfields is a cornerstone of the Clinton
Administration's efforts to help our nation's communities in
ways that make economic and environmental sense.  Our
Brownfields Initiative is working across the country in
communities bringing new investment, helping create jobs and
restoring hope and opportunity, while protecting the green
areas outside our cities."
     
     Today's announcement builds on a five-year effort to
clean up and redevelop brownfields and revitalize local
economies.  Since 1993 the Clinton Administration has taken
a series of actions under this initiative including: 
creating a national model to determine the best way to
revitalize communities; providing seed money to 157
communities for revitalization; removing legal barriers to
redevelopment; and providing a targeted tax incentive to
businesses that purchase and clean up these sites.  The Vice
President recently named 16 Brownfields Showcase Communities
that will serve as models of innovative environmental
cleanup and revitalization.  These communities will receive
about $28 million funding and coordinated technical
assistance from 15 federal agencies for environmental
cleanup and economic revitalization as part of the
Brownfields National Partnership -- the single largest
federal commitment to clean up and redevelop brownfields.

     The Clinton Administration has also committed to expand
the EPA Brownfields Initiative by committing to award grants
to a total of  300 communities by the end of 1999.  The
grant money will be used to assess contamination, involve
community residents in future land use planning, resolve
liability concerns and serve as a model for other
communities seeking effective redevelopment approaches.

     The goal of EPA's Brownfields Initiative is to yield
economic benefits and protect the environment by encouraging
development on existing industrial sites, rather than in
undeveloped areas.  It is designed to empower states, local
government and communities to develop public/private
partnerships that restore abandoned sites to new uses,
thereby increasing property values, stimulating tax revenues
and revitalizing communities.  The Brownfields pilots are
intended to be used as seed money to help assess
contamination, involve community residents in all aspects of
the redevelopment process, leverage other public and private
funds, resolve liability issues, spur cleanups and serve as
models for other communities seeking effective redevelopment
approaches.

     For more information about Brownfields Initiative visit
EPA's Internet Home Page at: http:\\www.epa.gov\brownfields. 
Information also can be obtained from the RCRA/Superfund
Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or 703-412-9810.

R-58                                  # # #

             1998 BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT PILOTS
                              
Region 1

Lewiston, ME ($200,000)
Mayor Kaileigh Tara
Once Maine's largest employer, the 1.2 million square foot
Bates Mill complex in Lewiston is now abandoned.  The city's
Brownfields pilot plans include conducting environmental
assessments and developing remedial plans to make the Bates
Mill Complex an anchor for economic redevelopment.

New Britain, CT ($200,000)
Mayor Lucian Pawlak
The exodus of New Britain's small hardware parts and tools
manufacturing industry left more than 600,000 square feet of
vacant manufacturing space.  With the EPA Brownfields grant,
the city plans to stimulate environmental cleanup and
economic redevelopment at six abandoned sites and develop
community outreach plans. 

Pioneer Valley, MA ($200,000)
Governor Argeo Paul Cellucci
Located in Midwestern Massachusetts, the Pioneer Valley
Region consists of 43 cities and towns in Hampshire and
Hampden counties, which include approximately 450 abandoned
industrial sites.  To decrease ongoing development of
"greenfields," Pioneer Valley will encourage cleanup and
reuse of brownfields, including developing an inventory of
contaminated sites, producing cleanup and redevelopment
criteria, and conducting site assessments.

Methuen, MA ($200,000)
Mayor Dennis A. DiZoglio
Due to decline of the textile mill industry, Methuen now has
numerous vacant lots and underused historic buildings where
perceived environmental contamination lies in the way of
economic redevelopment.  Using the Brownfields grant, the
town will clean up and redevelop three abandoned properties
to expand and diversify the local tax base and create jobs.

Springfield, MA ($200,000)
Mayor Michael J. Albano
With the EPA Brownfields pilot grant, Springfield will focus
on two priority sites--the Carew-Bond-Patton site, located
in a federal Enterprise Community, which was home to a
trolley facility, and the former Cottage Street landfill,
which poses a threat to local water resources.  The
Brownfields grant will help assess contamination at both
these sites, opening the way for cleanup and redevelopment,
and local economic revitalization. 

Chelsea, MA ($200,000)
Chairman Marilyn Portnoy
The city of Chelsea will focus its efforts on cleaning up
and redeveloping the 43-acre Everett Avenue Urban Renewal
District, including assessing contamination, preparing
cleanup plans for a key 8-acre area, and developing a
community awareness and participation process.

Malden, Medford, Everett, MA ($200,000)
Mayor Richard C. Howard, City of Malden
Mayor Michael J. McGlynn, City of Medford
Mayor David Ragucci, City of Everett
With the EPA Brownfields grant, the cities of Malden,
Medford, and Everett have joined in their Brownfields
redevelopment efforts to construct a state-of-the-art
telecommunications research and development park, called
TeleCom City on a 200-acre former industrial site that once
supported power generation and chemical production
facilities. 

New Hampshire DES ($200,000)
Governor Jeanne Shaheen
Beginning in the 1980s, many of New Hampshire's textile
mills were abandoned or became under-utilized as
manufacturing jobs left the state.  With the Brownfields
grant, the State of New Hampshire has developed a new
partnership program to provide small municipalities with
seed money to help cleanup and redevelop idle properties. 

Norwich and Griswold, CT ($200,000)
City Council President Richard Abele, City of Norwich
First Selectman Paul J. Brycki, Town of Griswold
Beginning in the 1960's and 1970's, the textile and other
manufacturing industries moved away from Norwich and
Griswold, leaving high unemployment.  With the Brownfields
grant, the cities will work with project partners, property
owners, and local lenders to restore at least five of its
major, abandoned industrial properties to productive
economic use. 

Region 2

Niagara County, NY ($200,000)
Chairman Gerald E. Meal
Over the last few decades, Niagara County experienced a
significant economic decline, leaving dozens of potentially
contaminated, vacant industrial sites.  The County's
Brownfields pilot will target three sites for establishing
an inventory of brownfields and conducting site assessments. 
The county also plans to conduct outreach activities to
involve the residents and other stakeholders in the
community revitalization efforts.

Yonkers, NY ($200,000)
Mayor John D. Spencer
As a result of industrial decline, Yonkers' once productive
Alexander Street Waterfront (ASW) has turned into an
industrial wasteland.  With the EPA Brownfields grant, the
city will focus on assisting the ASW Brownfields Initiative
to cleanup and redevelop the 22-acre area, and build on the
successes of adjacent downtown waterfront redevelopment
efforts by continuing waterfront revitalization along the
Hudson River. 

Ogdensburg, NY ($200,000)
Mayor Richard Lockwood
Most of Ogdensburg's industrial manufacturing sites along
the St. Lawrence and Oswegatchie rivers are abandoned. 
Suspected contamination at these sites has hindered
redevelopment of industrial space.  Ogdenburg's Brownfields
program seeks to stimulate economic development of areas
along the valuable waterfront.  The city will use the
$200,000 EPA grant to complete assessments of three
municipal sites in the waterfront area and perform outreach
activities to ensure public participation in the cleanup and
redevelopment processes.

Region 3

Johnstown, PA ($200,000)
Mayor Donato Zucco
Abandoned and underutilized industrial and manufacturing
properties have contributed to the environmental
deterioration of Johnstown.  The City of Johnstown, the
Johnstown Redevelopment Authority, and the Johnstown Area
Regional Industries, Inc. have formed a "Brownfields
Renaissance" partnership to produce a strategic cleanup and
economic development plan for growth into the next century. 
EPA Brownfields grant funds will be used to develop public-private
partnerships, identify sites for assessment, and
plan for cleanup and redevelopment.

Wheeling, WV ($200,000)
Mayor John W. Lipphardt
Wheeling, West Virginia   a city surrounded by mountains  
has a history of industrial activity along the town's
waterfront, the only property suitable for development.  
Through the pilot, the city will assess contamination at
four brownfields.  In addition, the city will create a
brownfields cleanup education and resource center to
facilitate community involvement at the four targeted sites.

Northampton County, PA ($200,000)
County Executive Glenn F. Reibman
Due to a decline in heavy industries, the city of
Northampton is home to many abandoned or underutilized
properties.  Businesses are reluctant to re-use these sites
because of potential environmental contamination.  With
EPA's Brownfields grant, the county will focus on assisting
the Lehigh Valley Brownfields Strategy Task Force in
maintaining an inventory of brownfields sites with
redevelopment potential.

Region 4

Charleston, SC ($200,000)
Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr.
With the EPA grant, the City of Charleston will focus on its
"Neck" area, a 7.3-square mile federal Enterprise Community
located north of historic Charleston and south of the closed
Charleston Naval Complex.   The city's objective is to
create sustainable, healthy neighborhoods that promote
economic growth, job opportunities, and improvements in the
quality of life for residents. 

Jackson, MS ($200,000)
Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Jackson's Brownfields pilot will target the Farish Street
Historic District, a 16-square mile area located within the
city's Enterprise Community Strategic Planning Zone.  The
city plans to select and assess a series of brownfield
sites, identify redevelopment barriers, and establish a
process for community involvement in the revitalization
activities.

Winston-Salem, NC ($200,000)
Mayor John J. Cavanagh, Jr.
Winston-Salem's Liberty Street Corridor, now largely
abandoned, once supported tobacco and textile manufacturing,
and automobile-related businesses.  Activities planned as
part of Winston-Salem's efforts to revitalize the Liberty
Street Corridor include assessing brownfields for
redevelopment and fostering community involvement in
redevelopment. 

Seminole Tribe, FL ($170,000)
Chairman James E. Billie
The Seminole Tribe's Hollywood Reservation in Broward County
consists of 500 acres of heavy and light industrial and
residential properties.  Because this reservation is
surrounded by urban development and tribal lands are
limited, the restoration and preservation of available land
is a top priority.  The Brownfields pilot includes plans to
assess contamination, develop a database of brownfields, and
establish a community-based process to prioritize sites
identified for cleanup and redevelopment.

Region 5

Fort Wayne, IN ($200,000)
Mayor Paul Helmke
With the EPA grant, the City of Fort Wayne will target one
of the state's most distressed areas -- the Hanna-Creighton
neighborhood.  To ensure that efforts to revitalize Hanna-Creighton are
safe and sustainable, the city plans to use
its brownfields pilot to conduct environmental assessments
at the Bowser Pump Plant site and involve the community in
cleanup and redevelopment planning.

Calumet City, IL ($200,000)
Mayor Jerry Genova
With the EPA grant, Calumet City will target for
redevelopment the Marble Street Dump site, a 23-acre
property once used for pesticide and acid manufacturing and
industrial waste dumping.  Planned activities include
assessing contamination and involving the community in
planning for cleanup and redevelopment.

Hennepin County, MN ($200,000)
Administrator Jeff Spartz
With the EPA Brownfields grant, Hennepin County will focus
on three abandoned, industrial sites -- Doc's Auto, Warden
Oil, and Chemical Marketing Corporation -- for environmental
assessment, cleanup and redevelopment.

Dayton, OH ($200,000)
Mayor Michael R. Turner
In the late 1960s, many businesses moved from Dayton to the
suburbs, creating job loss and abandoning urban factories. 
Dayton seeks to attract and train new workers and to
concentrate tooling and machining companies, support
services, and education opportunities in an area known as
"Tool Town."  The city has selected a 35-acre former
automobile factory as a prime candidate for Tool Town and
plans to use its EPA Brownfields grant for environmental
assessments and cleanup plans. 

Milwaukee, WI ($200,000)
Mayor John O. Norquist
With EPA's Brownfields grant, the City of Milwaukee will
target the Menomonee River Valley, a 1,500-acre area which
was once home to industrial facilities, including foundries,
power plants, coke and coal gasification plants, tanneries,
cement plants, and chemical companies.  The city plans to
clear the way for redevelopment and job growth by assessing
environmental contamination and developing cleanup plans. 

Region 6

Santa Fe, NM ($200,000)
Mayor Debbie Jaramillo
The decline of Santa Fe's railroad industry left behind a
large corridor of potentially contaminated land and
abandoned, deteriorating buildings in the center of the
city.  The city will use its EPA Brownfields grant to
revitalize its urban center and create jobs for residents by
assessing environmental contamination and clearing the way
for redevelopment along this corridor. 
 
Austin, TX ($200,000)
Mayor Kirk Watson
Many properties in east Austin are under-utilized because of
perceived or real contamination from past industrial
practices.  As part of its commitment to fostering economic,
social, and environmental practices that create a
sustainable community, Austin will use its EPA Brownfields
pilot grant to create a long-term redevelopment program,
develop stakeholder consensus on brownfields initiatives,
conduct site assessments, and produce a quarterly newsletter
on redevelopment and revitalization.

Galveston, TX ($200,000)
Mayor Henry Freudenberg
Once a thriving industrial and economic center and major
seaport, the City of Galveston has been in steady economic
decline for 30 years.  The city's Brownfields pilot, in
coordination with other federal, state, and local efforts,
will work to encourage and create incentives for
environmental assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of the
distressed areas of the state's Enterprise Zone. 

Grand Prairie, TX ($200,000)
Mayor Charles England
Widespread contamination in the northern part of Grand
Prairie has led to increased "greenfields" development in
the southern part of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  Grand
Prairie will use its brownfields pilot to create a
comprehensive redevelopment program for three targeted
areas.  The city plans to identify, assess, and prioritize
contaminated properties in the target areas, evaluate
potential uses, and formulate cleanup and redevelopment
plans.

Oklahoma City, OK ($200,000)
Mayor Ronald J. Norick
In recent years, Oklahoma City has experienced urban sprawl,
with industrial and commercial  facilities relocating to
outlying "greenfields."  The city is bringing together a
variety of  resources to  -- including EPA's Brownfields
grant -- to address environmental issues, redevelop
abandoned industrial sites and revitalize inner city
neighborhoods.  The EPA Brownfields grant will be used to
identify sites for cleanup and redevelopment, conduct
environmental assessments, and create a citizens' advisory
group.

Region 8

Kemmemer, WY ($105,000)
Mayor Jim Carroll
Since the end of the oil and gas boom in the early 1980s,
mining, construction, and manufacturing jobs in Kemmemer
have steadily been replaced with less lucrative service
industry positions.  With the EPA Brownfields pilot grant,
the city will focus on a site on the Hams Fork River that
includes a potentially contaminated, idle power plant.
 
Missoula, MT ($200,000)
Mayor Mike Kadas
Over the last 20 years, the decline of the timber industry
has resulted in massive job dislocation and abandonment of
Missoula's timber processing facilities.  The City of
Missoula hopes to return these idle properties to productive
use and promote economic recovery for the city.  Planned
pilot activities include environmental assessment and
expansion of community participation in redevelopment
efforts.

Region 9

Las Vegas, NV ($200,000)
Mayor Jan Laverty Jones
In Las Vegas, as casino development has concentrated along
the "Strip," the historic downtown area ha become less
attractive to developers.  With EPA's Brownfields grant, the
city will target four areas in downtown Las Vegas for
redevelopment.  Planned activities include preparing an
inventory of brownfield sites, conducting environmental
assessments, and holding town hall meetings to encourage
dialogue between citizens and other stakeholders.

Colton, CA ($200,000)
Mayor Karl E. Gaytan
Over the past twenty years, Colton has experienced economic
decline in the commercial and  industrial sectors of the
community.  The city's Brownfields pilot will focus on the
City Center-Rancho Mill area, which is home to dozens of
vacant and dilapidated industrial structures.  The pilot
will assess environmental contamination at selected sites
and plan for cleanup and restoration of a portion of the
Agua Mansa Enterprise Zone.

Tohono O'odham Nation, AZ ($200,000)
Chairman Edward Manuel
The Tohono O'odham Nation's San Xavier District has a mix of
industrial properties and low-income residential units.  The
Nation's Brownfields pilot will focus on a chemical
manufacturing plant located in this district.  The Nation
will assess and plan for cleanup and redevelopment of this
property, develop a community involvement plan, and
establish protocols for future assessments.  

Region 10

Port of Seattle, WA ($200,000)
Mayor Paul Schell
With EPA's Brownfields pilot grant, the Port of Seattle will
focus on the 970 acre Ballard Northend Manufacturing and
Industrial Center (BINMIC), a partially abandoned industrial
area located to the north of Seattle's downtown center. 
Rising land prices and uncertainty regarding long-term
cleanup liability threaten BINMIC's ability to cleanup
brownfields and remain an industrial area.  The Port of
Seattle plans to assess environmental contamination and
develop a cleanup and redevelopment plan.

Everett, WA ($200,000)
Mayor Ed Hansen
Since the 1970s, the City of Everett's local base industries
have been shifting away from forest products and other
natural resource industries to technology and aerospace,
resulting in many abandoned riverfront pulp mills.  The city
seeks to revitalize the riverfront by developing these
sites.  Pilot activities include completion of environmental
assessments and facilitating community and business
involvement in cleanup and redevelopment planning.