United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-00-108 May 2000 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ <&EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot North Adams, MA Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105) Quick Reference Fact Sheet EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment. BACKGROUND EPA has selected the City of North Adams for a Brownfields Pilot. Located in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts, the City of North Adams is ahistorical mill town that began its industrial expansion in the 1820s and 1830s. After World War II, many industries either relocated from the city or ceased operations in the area. The city was still able to maintain its economy until 1985, when the local electric company closed its doors. The departure of the Sprague Electric Company resulted in the loss of more than 4,000 jobs. Since 1991, the city has diversified its economy, attracting new industries and commercial ventures to the area. A recent cornerstone of this activity is the redevelopment of the 13-acre former Sprague Electric Company site. In addition, the city is identifying other abandoned and underutilized brownfields properties that can be redeveloped and help the local economy. As part of this effort, the city has targeted three brownfields sites for assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment. PILOT SNAPSHOT North Adams, MA Date of Announcement: May 2000 Amount: $140,770 Profile: The Pilot will conduct site assessments and examine cleanup and redevelopment options at three targeted brown fie Ids sites. Contacts: City of North Adams, Massachusetts (413)662-3011 Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 1 (617)918-1424 Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region01/remed/brnfld/ Forfurtherinformation, including specific Pilotcontacts, additional Pilot information.brownfieldsnewsandevente.and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ ------- OBJECTIVES The Pilot's objective is to conduct environmental assessments on three targeted brownfields sites—a former tannery, a former j unk yard, and a warehouse/ service station property. The Pilot will also conduct public outreach activities in the local communities to encourage public involvement in the cleanup and redevelopment processes and leverage additional public and private funding for cleanup and redevelopment activities. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: • Conducting site assessments at the three targeted brownfields sites; • Preparing cleanup cost estimates for the targeted sites; • Facilitating discussion of options for reusing the sites; and • Conducting public outreach activities in neighborhoods surrounding the three targeted sites to encourage public involvement. The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot North Adams, MA May 2000 EPA500-F-00-108 ------- |