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GREEN GRANTS HELP BROWNFIELDS SPROUT NEW LIFE

Release Date: 6/21/1999
Contact Information: Randy Wittorp, U.S. EPA, (415)-744-1589

     Anaheim, Carson, Lynwood and Ventura each receive $200,000 for redevelopment

     SAN FRANCISCO -- Southern California received an environmental and economic boost today, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented $800,000 in four brownfields grants to the cities of Anaheim, Carson, Lynwood and Ventura.  The purpose of the grant program is to assist communities in redeveloping underutilized land in the inner-city and to curb urban sprawl.

     "Brownfields projects make economic and environmental common sense -- cleaning up land now going to waste in inner cities and towns and reusing it in concert with the community," said Felicia Marcus, EPA's regional administrator. "The projects help to contain urban sprawl while making our communities more livable and vibrant places."

     Anaheim
     Anaheim will use its grant to focus on 25 contiguous acres within a blighted area of the city.  Funds will be used to conduct environmental site assessments, prepare cleanup plans, distribute newsletters to the community and hold open forum meetings.  Potential uses of the land include retail, residential, and park and recreation facilities.

     Carson
     As a major center for transportation, manufacturing, and distribution, Carson has a vested interest in making potential brownfields sites available to prospective developers.  Carson plans to inventory its brownfields properties, conduct environmental assessments, develop cleanup plans for the sites, and perform community outreach.

     Lynwood
     The city of Lynwood will use its grant to target four brownfields sites, three with commercial/industrial potential and one suitable for low and moderate income housing.  Funds will be used to assess the properties, develop cleanup plans, and conduct neighborhood meetings.

     Ventura
     Ventura will use its grant to conduct environmental site assessments at properties in the Westside Community.  Funds will also be used for cleanup planning and public outreach.  Proposed reuse of the properties include high tech businesses.

     In addition to brownfields grants, there is another potential avenue for communities to restore their brownfields sites --Better America Bonds.

     "These bonds, if approved by Congress, can help our states and communities finish the job of brownfields cleanup," said Felicia Marcus, EPA's regional administrator. "They can give our communities the tools they need to preserve open space, reuse abandoned lands, and improve  livability."

     The bonds, proposed by the Clinton Administration in its livability agenda, would provide cities access to zero interest loans to help them redevelop brownfields sites. With Better America Bonds, state and local governments will be able to issue nearly $10 billion in bonds to clean up brownfields, preserve open space and protect water quality. They can wait 15 years before paying back the principal. Investors who buy the bonds receive tax credits equal to the interest they would have received on the bonds --a total of $700 million.

     Bonding authority would be distributed directly to the communities through a competitive process, just like the brownfields program.

     The Southern California grants are four of 57 cities, districts and municipalities selected nationwide today to participate in brownfields projects. Brownfields are former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated or perceived to be contaminated.  With the 57 new projects, there are now over 300 brownfields pilot projects nationwide.

     The brownfields initiative was launched to empower states, local governments, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together to assess, clean up, and sustainably reuse these brownfields properties. The initiative also addresses the concerns of prospective developers and lenders concerned about inheriting cleanup liability for brownfields property.

     Information on the new brownfields pilot grant awards can be obtained from the EPA's brownfields home page on the Internet at:  www.epa.gov/brownfields. Information on the Better America Bonds can be
obtained at:  www.epa.gov/bonds.