| TRAFICANT, James A., Jr., |
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1998
Washington, D.C. – U. S. Rep. James A. Traficant, Jr. (D–OH) announced today that the cities of Youngstown, Campbell, and Struthers have been selected for the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot program. The cities have been awarded $200,000 for cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields. A brownfield is a site which has been environmentally contaminated, but has an active potential for redevelopment.
The EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot program
targets 900 acres of brownfields along the banks of the Mahoning River
bordering Youngstown, Campbell, and Struthers. There
are six target sites including a six-mile riparian corridor, a 29-acre
vacant industrial park, a 30-acre former steel mill site, a 34-acre industrial
park on the site of a former steel mill, 40 acres that were used for residential
and light commercial activities, and several proposed bridge and roadway
access routes. Nearly 80 percent of land can be redeveloped in the
area, which is known as the Mahoning River Corridor of Opportunity.
The site has also been designated an enterprise zone by the State of Ohio.
The pilot program will provide a total of $200,000 to perform
environmental assessments on the six target areas, develop cleanup plans
to eliminate environmental hazards, and conduct regular planning
meetings with the community. In neighborhoods affected by brownfield
redevelopment, community outreach and education activities are planned.
A final goal of the pilot is to produce a geographic information system
database on the target sites.
Over the past two years, Traficant has worked to secure $2 million
for the U.S. Army Corps to begin clean-up of the Mahoning River.
"This grant combined with the Corps' ongoing clean-up project will go a
long way in revitalizing the river front areas throughout our Valley,"
said Traficant.