ANDREWS ANNOUNCES FEDERAL FUNDING TO CLEAN UP PENNSAUKEN AND GLOUCESTER CITY BROWNFIELD SITES

WASHINGTON, D.C. --Congressman Rob Andrews today announced that Pennsauken and Gloucester City will each receive a $200,000 Brownfields Assesment Demonstration Pilot grant through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ EPA) to be administered over the course of two years.  The EPA's assessment demonstration pilot program is designed to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models to empower communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and eventually reuse these sites to prevent further development in more rural areas.

"As we continue to search for methods to combat suburban sprawl, the redevelopment of South Jersey's brownfields becomes increasingly relevant," commented Andrews.  "These grants that I am announcing today will provide Gloucester City and Pennsauken with the tools they need to create new jobs and new opportunities, while preserving the environment for future generations."

These pilots focus on the Southport Area and Waterfront Area of Gloucester City and Pennsauken respectively.  They are designed to spur environmental cleanup, alleviate potential health problems and restore sustainable economic growth in each of these communities.  In addition, the pilots are designed to preserve, protect and strengthen the character of existing residential neighborhoods while at the same time encouraging adaptive reuse of vacant and underutilized properties.

“As the economy of South Jersey continues to grow, the need for usable parcels for business development grow with it,” said Andrews.  “This clean up will provide for both the redevelopment of these Brownfields sites, adding to the tax base of our community and the elimination of a danger to public health.”
 
 

BACKGROUND ON GLOUCESTER CITY PILOT

This Pilot focuses on Gloucester City's Southport Area. This section of the city was formerly home to a vibrant textile and shipping industry, supplying jobs to a large portion of the city's residents. The decline of these industries after World War II contributed to the loss of more than 25 percent of the city's population and contributed to more than 150 brownfields in the Southport Area. 

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: 

- Developing an inventory of brownfields sites with redevelopment potential and selecting up to three sites for assessment;
- Identifying and removing barriers to the redevelopment process; 
- Developing community-based site cleanup objectives and goals in agreement with state and federal programs; 
- Conducting community involvement activities to gain community input and support for the project; and 
- Developing reporting programs to track and report on the progress of the Pilot.

BACKGROUND ON PENNSAUKEN PILOT

In the early 1800s, the influx of maritime trade and rail transportation along the Pennsauken waterfront spawned development for many industries such as paper and steel manufacturing. Changes in the economy caused a decline in manufacturing in this region, which led to layoffs and eventual factory shutdowns. The economic effect of this decline is felt in the loss of jobs, wages, and tax revenues, as well as in a surplus of unused, or underused, functionally obsolete buildings that have little if any market value. The immediate waterfront area, which is the focus of this Pilot, is mostly industrial with only 50 residents, but the area immediately inland is densely populated with low-income residents living in poverty. These sites are sources of potential threats to the health and well being of the people living in adjacent neighborhoods. 

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: 

-Identifying, evaluating, and ranking sites to decide which sites will benefit the community most from cleanup and redevelopment; 
-Conducting field assessments and evaluations of identified sites; 
-Designing cleanup and redevelopment plans; and
-Organizing and executing community involvement activities to involve the residents in decision making and educate them on the Pilot activities. 
 
 

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