Alternative Text Description for USEPA Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays locations of properties targeted for EPA Brownfields grant assistance throughout Florida. The data represents brownfield sites from the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database. Brownfields are properties where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. The map shows the geographic distribution of properties that have been assessed or cleaned up with EPA Brownfields grant funding, as well as Targeted Brownfields Assessments performed by EPA Regions.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire state of Florida, extending from the panhandle region in the northwest to the Florida Keys in the south. Major cities labeled on the map include Dothan and Albany in the north (outside Florida's borders), Tallahassee in the panhandle, Jacksonville on the northeast coast, Gainesville and Palatka in north-central Florida, Orlando in central Florida, Tampa and St. Petersburg on the west coast, West Palm Bay and Melbourne on the east coast, and Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, and Naples in southern Florida. The Gulf of America is visible along the western coast, and the Atlantic Ocean borders the eastern coast. The Florida Keys extend southward from the southern tip of the peninsula.

KEY INSIGHTS

The distribution of USEPA Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System sites shows pronounced clustering in several metropolitan areas. The highest concentration appears in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area on the west-central coast, with dense clustering of sites. Southeast Florida shows significant activity with notable concentrations around the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach corridor extending along the Atlantic coast. Central Florida around Orlando and the surrounding region displays moderate clustering. The northeast Florida region around Jacksonville shows scattered sites with some concentration. The Florida panhandle has relatively sparse distribution of sites, with small clusters near the Alabama-Georgia border. The southwestern coast shows moderate distribution around Naples and Cape Coral. The pattern suggests brownfield properties requiring assessment and cleanup are predominantly concentrated in Florida's most urbanized and industrialized metropolitan regions, with notably fewer sites in rural areas and the panhandle region.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

USEPA Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System Sites

This layer represents individual brownfield properties that have received EPA Brownfields grant assistance for assessment or cleanup activities, or have been subject to Targeted Brownfields Assessments.

Brownfield Property Locations (dark purple circular points)

Appearance:

Each site is represented by a dark purple (magenta) circular point symbol of uniform size.

Distribution:

Sites are distributed throughout Florida with significant variation in density. The greatest concentrations occur in metropolitan areas along both coasts and in central Florida, while the panhandle and rural interior areas show sparse distribution.

Notable locations:

Spatial patterns:

Sites follow distinct urban corridors and metropolitan patterns. The coastal distribution is particularly evident along both the Atlantic and Gulf of America shorelines. Linear patterns appear along the southeast coast, suggesting concentration along major transportation corridors or developed coastal areas. Sites show strong correlation with major population centers, with minimal presence in the Everglades region and other undeveloped areas. The clustering pattern indicates that brownfield properties requiring remediation are predominantly located in areas with historical industrial or commercial development.

Overlapping Patterns

In the most densely populated metropolitan areas, particularly Tampa-St. Petersburg and the Miami-Fort Lauderdale corridor, multiple site points overlap or appear in very close proximity, indicating areas with numerous brownfield properties in concentrated geographic spaces.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a snapshot of brownfield properties that have received EPA grant assistance or assessment. Each point represents a property where contamination concerns may complicate redevelopment, and where EPA resources have been directed for assessment or cleanup. The concentration of sites in urban areas reflects both the historical presence of industrial and commercial activities that may have resulted in contamination, and the prioritization of redevelopment opportunities in developed areas. Not all brownfield properties in Florida are represented on this map—only those that have been part of the ACRES reporting system through EPA Brownfields grant programs or targeted assessments. The varying density across the state illustrates the relationship between urbanization, industrial history, and brownfield remediation needs.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data originates from the EPA Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database, which stores information reported by EPA Brownfields grant recipients on properties assessed or cleaned up with grant funding. The system also includes information on Targeted Brownfields Assessments performed by EPA Regions. Additional information is available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-grantee-reporting-using-assessment-cleanup-and-redevelopment-exchange-system. Data source layer name: EPAACRES_AUG25.

Definition Query:

No definition query or filter criteria was applied. The map displays the complete dataset of brownfield properties in the ACRES system for Florida.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a statewide scale showing all of Florida, appropriate for understanding regional distribution patterns and identifying metropolitan areas with concentrations of brownfield sites. Individual site-level details and precise locations are visible at this scale through point symbology.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The dataset is dated August 2025 (EPAACRES_AUG25), representing brownfield properties in the ACRES system as of that date.

Limitations:

This dataset represents only properties that have received EPA Brownfields grant assistance or been subject to EPA-conducted targeted assessments. Many other brownfield properties may exist in Florida that have not been part of EPA grant programs and therefore are not included in this dataset. The presence of a site on this map does not indicate current contamination status, as some properties may have completed cleanup activities. The map does not distinguish between properties at different stages of assessment or cleanup, nor does it indicate the severity or type of contamination present.

Map Coverage:

The map covers the entire state of Florida, including the panhandle, peninsula, and Florida Keys. Portions of neighboring states (Alabama and Georgia) and the Gulf of America and Atlantic Ocean are shown for geographic context.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.