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U.S. EPA awards $1.3 million to National City and local environmental agencies / EPA-HUD-DOT Partnership for Sustainable Communities also invests in Westside

Release Date: 04/13/2010
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, Cell (213) 798-2804, arcaute.francisco@epa.gov

(4/13/10) SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today advanced its environmental justice program in National City, Calif., with the distribution of a $1 million Brownfields revolving loan to National City.

EPA also awarded a $300,000 Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grant to the Environmental Health Coalition for work in Barrio Logan and National City, and provided resources to assist with the Westside Affordable Housing Transit Oriented Development in National City.

In addition to providing funds, EPA is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation – via the Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities – in helping National City meet its sustainability goals to generate affordable housing and transportation while simultaneously protecting the environment, promoting equitable development, and addressing the challenges of climate change.

“We are very excited to provide this $1.3 million in grants to help improve the lives and environmental health of National City's residents,” said Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator for EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “EPA is committed to continuing our work with this overburdened yet vibrant community to reduce exposure to pollution and promote greener, healthier development.”

“Unjust land use plans have allowed pollution to burden the health of our communities for too long,” said Diane Takvorian, Executive Director of Environmental Health Coalition. “We applaud EPA’s commitment to environmental justice and will use these funds to create community plans that lead to cleaner, healthier neighborhoods.”

“National City is an older city with an old industrial base that presents a myriad of challenges,” said Mayor Ron Morrison. “EPA has been a long time strong partner in National City’s continuing effort to revitalize our community. We are gratified and excited about having this strong support as well as the depth of EPA’s experience, resources and knowledge both in Brownfields redevelopment and Smart Growth principles to assist with challenging projects such as the Transit Oriented Development for Westside.”

The funds will be distributed as follows:

· $1 million National City Brownfields revolving loan

EPA selected National City for a 2009 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant, including $800,000 for hazardous substances and $200,000 for petroleum. These funds will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which National City will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances.

EPA also awarded a $200,000 Brownfields Assessment grant to National City in 2007 to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments on properties located within the Westside Neighborhood; a similar Assessment Grant for the Harbor District was awarded in 2003. The EPA Brownfields has provided approximately $1.4 million in direct funds and $75,000 in contract support to assist National City in developing green building standards and establishing a viable reuse plan for a site in the Harbor District.

· $300,000 CARE grant to the Environmental Health Coalition

As part of EPA’s CARE program, the agency awarded a two year, $300,000 grant to the Environmental Health Coalition to address port and stationary source emissions in Barrio Logan and National City. The Environmental Health Coalition builds grassroots campaigns that confront the consequences of toxic pollution, discriminatory land use, and unsustainable energy policies. Through leader development, organizing and advocacy, EHC improves the health of children, families, neighborhoods and the natural environment.

· EPA- HUD-DOT to provide resources to Westside Affordable Housing Transit Oriented Development

National City requested assistance in creating and implementing a sustainability plan and financial strategy for a 14-acre brownfield seen as a catalyst for neighborhood change. The sustainability plan will assist National City in leveraging resources to clean up the site, form a link to a nearby light rail station, create an open space, improve the tidal creek, and create a 201-unit affordable housing project.

EPA, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation, will assist National City in developing a plan to address the former brownfield focusing on green building and energy-efficient redevelopment plans that incorporate stormwater and flood control management.

EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) is a competitive grant program that offers an innovative way for a community to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in its local environment. For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/care/

Region 9's Brownfields Program works to clean up and redevelop of potentially contaminated lands in the Pacific Southwest region, making it easier for such lands to become vital, functioning parts of their communities. For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region09/brownfields/

Through the Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities, EPA is working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure ensuring that housing and transportation goals are met while simultaneously protecting the environment, promoting equitable development, and helping to address the challenges of climate change. For more information on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/partnership