Brownfields are real property, the expansion, development or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant

This EPA Region 6 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreement (CFDA 66.818) award of $1,290,550 will fund cleanup activities at the former Rush's Cleaners site in Alexandria, Louisiana. The City of Alexandria will oversee the remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through soil removal and in-situ chemical oxidation treatment. Additionally, the city will create a community involvement plan, quality assurance project plan, and analysis of brownfields cleanup alternatives. The project aims to transform the 1-acre former dry cleaner site into a centrally located mobility hub as part of the city's broader brownfields revitalization efforts. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2028.

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to [city of alexandria]. The recipient will conduct remediation activities as authorized by comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act (cerlca) 104(k)(3) in the former rush's cleaners site, located along the city's existing pedestrian trail system, to be transformed into a centrally located bolton avenue, alexandria louisiana mobility hub, which follows the redevelopment concepts from the 2021 brownfields revitalization master (bfrm) plan. The alexandria transit (atrans) station has been located downtown since its inception, and with the majority of the disadvantaged community living in areas farther away from downtown, the need for the atrans station to be relocated to the target area is more pressing than ever. The cleanup site is the former rush's cleaners (1.0 acre) at 210 bolton avenue, alexandria, louisiana. The property hosted residential homes from 1914 through the 1950S when IT was redeveloped as a dry cleaner that used per chloroethene solvents and operated until approximately 2001. The facility was housed in a 12,350-square-foot building with a 2,500-square-foot addition constructed some years later. The property has SAT vacant since 2001, and the buildings are in a state of blight and dilapidation. A wide variety of schools, churches, parks, and gathering centers are within a mile of the site. The former rush's cleaners was assessed multiple times over the past 10-12 years, including 3 phase i environmental site assessments (ESA) and 3 phase II esas. The assessments confirmed that asbestos was not present in the structures; however, very high concentrations of dry-cleaning chemicals including tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and vinyl chloride were confirmed to be present in the groundwater and in soils up to 32 feet in depth. These goals will be accomplished by and performing non-site-specific tasks and site-specific tasks. Non-site-specific tasks include obtaining remedial contractor services and performing public outreach. Site-specific tasks include updating the existing community involvement plan, a qapp, an abca and managing the site through the state risk evaluation/corrective action program (recap). Activities:specifically, this agreement will provide funding to the recipient to clean up a brownfield site(s). Additionally, the recipient will competitively procure (as needed) and direct a qualified environmental professional to conduct environmental site activities, will create a community involvement plan and administrative record for the site(s), and will report on interim progress and final accomplishments by completing and submitting relevant portions of the property profile form using EPA's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (acres). Based on the previous investigations, site soil and groundwater are contaminated with volatile organic compounds (vocs). To address the contamination in these media, a draft abca was developed for the site that evaluated multiple alternatives including a no-action alternative. With consideration of effectiveness, implementation feasibility, and relative costs, the recommended cleanup alternative includes soil removal, and treatment of vocs in soil and groundwater by chemical oxidation. Remedial activities at the site will be overseen by louisiana department on environmental quality (ldeq) for regulatory oversight purposes, with oversight costs paid from grant funds. VOC-impacted soils will be removed in the highest impacted areas to a depth of 15 feet below ground surface (BGS) to remove vapor intrusion concerns. Vocs in soils beyond 15 feet BGS will be treated by in-situ chemical oxidation, which will