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 across the state of Florida. The data comes from the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database and shows brownfield properties that have been assessed or cleaned up with EPA grant funding. Brownfields are properties where redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire state of Florida, from the Panhandle region in the northwest to the southern tip and the Florida Keys. Major cities labeled on the map include Jacksonville in the northeast, Tallahassee in the north-central Panhandle, Gainesville and Orlando in the central region, Tampa on the west-central coast, Palm Coast on the east-central coast, and Miami, West Palm Bay, Cape Coral, and Coral Springs in the southern region. The map also shows portions of neighboring states including Alabama, Georgia, and Dothan to the north. The Gulf of America appears on the western side of Florida.

KEY INSIGHTS

Brownfield sites show a clear concentration pattern focused on urban centers and coastal areas. The Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area in west-central Florida displays the densest clustering of brownfield properties. Other significant concentrations appear around the southern tip of the Florida peninsula near Miami and along the southeastern coast. Additional notable clusters are visible along the northern Gulf of America coast in the Panhandle region and in the Jacksonville area. Central and northern interior regions show relatively sparse distribution of brownfield sites compared to coastal and metropolitan areas.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

USEPA Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System

This layer represents brownfield properties that have received EPA grant assistance for assessment, cleanup, or targeted assessment activities.

Brownfield Properties (dark purple/magenta circular points)

Appearance:

Small circular dots in dark purple or magenta color, displayed uniformly across the map.

Distribution:

Properties are distributed throughout Florida but with marked concentration in metropolitan areas and along coastlines. The highest density occurs in the Tampa Bay region, followed by the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Bay corridor in the southeast.

Notable locations:

Spatial patterns:

Properties demonstrate strong association with urban centers and major population areas. A clear coastal distribution pattern is evident along both the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of America shorelines. Interior regions show sparser distribution with properties concentrated near larger cities. The clustering pattern suggests brownfield properties are primarily located in areas with historical industrial or commercial activity associated with port cities, manufacturing centers, and developed urban areas.

Overlapping Patterns

In the Tampa area, the dense concentration of points creates overlapping clusters where individual properties are difficult to distinguish, indicating a very high density of brownfield sites requiring EPA assistance in this metropolitan region.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a single thematic layer extracted from a larger dataset and focuses specifically on EPA Brownfields grant-assisted properties. The visible concentration patterns reflect both the historical industrial development of Florida's urban areas and the active participation of communities in EPA's Brownfields program. Properties shown have been reported by EPA Brownfields grant recipients through the ACRES database. The map does not show all contaminated or potentially contaminated sites in Florida, only those that have received specific EPA Brownfields grant assistance or targeted assessments.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

Data is sourced from the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database, which stores information reported by EPA Brownfields grant recipients on brownfields properties assessed or cleaned up with grant funding, as well as information on Targeted Brownfields Assessments performed by EPA Regions. Additional information is available at the EPA website: 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 specified for this map view.

Scale Information:

The map displays statewide coverage at a scale appropriate for viewing regional patterns and concentrations across Florida. Individual property locations are visible as distinct points except in areas of very high density.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data source indicates the dataset is dated August 2025 (EPAACRES_AUG25), suggesting the map represents brownfield properties as of that date.

Limitations:

This map only includes properties that have received EPA Brownfields grant assistance or targeted assessments and does not represent a comprehensive inventory of all brownfield sites in Florida. Properties may be at various stages of assessment, cleanup, or redevelopment. The density of points in certain areas may reflect both the actual concentration of brownfield properties and the level of community participation in EPA grant programs rather than the total number of potentially contaminated sites.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers the entire state of Florida and includes small portions of neighboring states (Alabama, Georgia) and the Gulf of America for geographic context. Coverage extends from approximately the Alabama-Florida border in the west to the Atlantic coast in the east, and from the Georgia-Florida border in the north to the southernmost point of the Florida Keys.

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