[StBernard] Louisiana to Receive More Than $2.2 Million from EPA

[Westley Annis]

(Dallas, Texas - May 12, 2006) Seven Louisiana groups have been selected to
receive 10 Brownfields grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
totaling $2,262,218, EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene announced
today.

"EPA's Brownfields program can be an important part of the cure for ailing
inner city properties," Greene said.  "Brownfields grants help revitalize
former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties
to productive community use."


The city of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish will receive $200,000
for community-wide hazardous substances assessment. This assessment funding
will help to remove obstacles for redevelopment and encourage investment in
the urban core of Baton Rouge.

The Acadiana Regional Development District will receive $200,000 to assess
petroleum sites community-wide. ARDD represents Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia,
Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin,  St. Mary and Vermilion parishes,
including 49 incorporated towns and communities.
ARDD plans to target abandoned petroleum sites near residential areas
resulting from oil and gas activities.

The New Orleans Regional Business Park will receive $200,000 to assess
community-wide hazardous substance sites and $200,000 to assess
community-wide petroleum sites. NORBP contains known junkyards, dumpsites
and businesses with underground storage tanks.


The South Central Planning and Development Commission will receive $200,000
for community-wide assessment of hazardous substance sites and $200,000 for
community-wide assessment of petroleum sites. The Commission's district
includes Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St.
James, St. John and Terrebonne parishes, and six communities in those
parishes.  Funds will also be used for community outreach activities,
including an environmental justice workshop.

Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal will receive $200,000 for asbestos
removal at the Petroleum Tower in downtown Shreveport. Following the removal
and renovation, the building will meet "Green Standards." The building will
be a training center that will focus on educating others to rebuild their
own neighborhoods, villages and cities.

The Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport will
receive $197,718 for cleanup of the former Wilson Foods property and
$164,500 for cleanup of the former Caddo Parish Health Unit property. Both
sites will become part of the InterTech Science Park, which is dedicated to
medical, scientific and biotechnology development.

The city of West Monroe will receive $500,000 for a revolving loan fund to
support cleanup of petroleum sites.  The target area for cleanups includes
the Ouachita Parish Urban Renewal Community.  The city will offer
no-interest loans to eligible borrowers, perform community outreach and
marketing, and support cleanup planning and oversight.

A Brownfield is a property which may have expansion, redevelopment or reuse
challenges from hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants.
EPA's Brownfields program is designed to help stakeholders assess, safely
clean and sustainably reuse these properties.  Reinvesting in Brownfields
increases local tax bases, facilitates job growth, uses existing
infrastructure, takes development pressures off undeveloped land, and
improves and protects the environment.

Applicants receiving 292 Brownfields grants in four categories totaling
$69.9 million are being announced nationwide today.  More information about
EPA's Brownfields program and the grant recipients is available at
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/.


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