Oklahoma City, OK EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic development to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. REVOLVING LOAN FUND GRANT $2,000,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected Oklahoma City for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which Oklahoma City will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities at sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Grant funds also will be used to support community planning and awareness efforts, health monitoring, and cleanup planning and implementation. Coalition partners include Oklahoma County, the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Agency, and the Oklahoma City Housing Authority. COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION Oklahoma City was selected to receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The city's population is approximately 660,448. Target brownfields are in the Oklahoma City Empowerment Zone (EZ), specifically the Eastside Reinvestment Area and other areas perceived to have environmental justice issues. Nearly 1,000 possible brownfield sites have been identified in the EZ and adjacent central city areas, which are plagued by poverty and have primarily minority populations. In some areas, the African-American population exceeds 90 percent. Oklahoma City is targeting three brownfield cleanup projects: the Truman School site, Will Rogers Public Housing site, and the Historic Plaza Court building. The Truman School site is assessed and ready for cleanup; redevelopment plans include community services and greenspace. The public housing site will have asbestos contamination removed from an existing 354-family complex. The court building site will be redeveloped to provide a hub for retail services along a main bus route. Brownfields redevelopment will support the creation of affordable housing, promote local business development, improve recreational and open space areas, utilize existing infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for citizens in currently distressed areas. CONTACTS For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/brownfields. EPA Region 6 Brownfields Team
214-665-6736
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6sf/bfpages/sfbfhome.htm Grant Recipient: City of Oklahoma City, OK
405-297-3838 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. |
