[CPEO-BIF] EPA Administrator Whitman Announces $38 Million to make abandoned p

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

US EPA Headquarters
FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2001

EPA ADMINISTRATOR WHITMAN ANNOUNCES $38 MILLION
TO MAKE ABANDONED PROPERTIES THRIVE

Bonnie Piper 202 564-4355


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman, today in a
ceremony with Mayor Anthony Williams, selected the District of Columbia for a
$100,000 Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot to supplement the process
of assessing the contamination of abandoned properties in the District. In
addition, around the country more than 90 communities received funding of more
than $38 million for Brownfields assessment and cleanup.

At an event with Mayor Williams at the Brentwood Impoundment Facility in
northeast Washington, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman said, "This year we've
included provisions for the evaluation, protection and preservation of
"greenspace" - parks, playgrounds, trails, gardens, habitat restoration, and
open space. Rather than continue to neglect these abandoned properties, these
grants spur partnerships among state, local, community groups, investors and
developers to create jobs and get the work done. "

Whitman added, "Since its inception in 1993, the brownfields program has
provided over $162 million in grants with $2.9 billion leveraged and over
11,000 jobs created."

The ultimate goal of the District's effort is to develop a long-term self
sustaining and efficient program that will include: a Brownfields inventory, a
system for tracking clean-up activities, a streamlined approach to permitting,
and technical and financial assistance regarding site assessment and cleanup.
To date, at least five brownfields sites are being developed. Even though these
assessments were not funded by EPA, the Brownfields pilot helped to leverage
resources for the assessment and cleanup of these properties. Of these five,
three will be completed by EPA through the Targeted Brownfields Assessment
Program.

These critical start-up funds often make the difference for many developers to
choose to clean up unused properties. Applications are received from cities,
counties, tribes, and states to safely restore and promote sustainable reuse of
neglected properties. The selection of these pilots provide critical support
for assessment and low interest clean up loans to businesses to leverage funds
for the redevelopment of these properties and the generation of jobs and tax
revenues.

Today's announcement has a variety of categories for funding including 36 new
Brownfields Assessment Pilot Grants totaling over $7 million to evaluate
contaminated sites; more than $5 million to continue and expand brownfields
assessment on existing sites; $26 million in Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan
Fund pilots for 46 communities. Information aboutBrownfields is available at:
www.epa.gov/brownfields.


R-60 # # #


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