Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet

Hampton, VA

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, the President 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.

ASSESSMENT GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the City of Hampton to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to identify and prioritize sites, conduct four to six Phase I site assessments, perform two or three Phase II site assessments, and conduct community involvement and cleanup planning activities. Sites to be evaluated will be selected from a city-wide list, with focus on the city's Downtown Technology Zone.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Hampton was selected for a brownfields assessment grant. Hampton (population 146,437) is located in the Tidewater region of southeastern Virginia. Almost 45 percent of city residents are African-American, and 11.3 percent have incomes below the poverty level. In the targeted Downtown Technology Zone (population 3,467), more than 90 percent of residents are African-American, and approximately 23.4 percent of households live in poverty. Hampton's economy traditionally has centered around the industrial and commercial sectors, and military installations. Downsizing or shuttering of several major local employers, along with reductions in military operations, have increased the number of citizens seeking civilian jobs. Hampton plans to clean up the Downtown Technology Zone and relocate underutilized industrial facilities. This will make the overall area available for renewal and reuse as commercial and retail operations, upgraded housing, and new parks and open space.

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 3 Brownfields Team
215-814-3129
http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bfs/index.htm

Grant Recipient: Hampton, VA
757-727-6390

The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.