United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-99-003
March 1999
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
PA Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
Antrim County, Ml
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101)
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. Since 1995, EPA has funded more than 200 Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of
brownfields solutions. The Pilots 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 Antrim County, Michigan for a
Brownfields Pilot. The Mancelona Community,
which is the Pilot's target area, consists of Mancelona
Township (population 3,173), Custer Township
(population 630), and the Village of Mancelona
(population 1,370). This rural and impoverished
area is located 35 miles northeast of Traverse City
and 200 miles northwest of Detroit. The area is
known for its pristine, natural beauty, and relies
heavily on tourism to support the local economy.
The Village and Township of Mancelona have
unemployment rates of approximately 12 percent,
while the unemployment rate in Custer is
approximately 17 percent. The percentage of the
population living below the poverty level is 12.9
percent in Custer, 18.3 percent in Mancelona
Township, and 24.7 percent in the Village of
Mancelona.
Historically, the community supported the timber
and iron works industries. These industries were
further supported by a railroad, which bisects the
target area. With the decline in these industries, the
county has been left with reduced economic
opportunities and a legacy of potential environmental
contamination. Contamination has already been
identified in groundwater plumes, posing a threat to
local drinking water. In addition, contaminants from
existing area industry—automotive parts suppliers
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Antrim County, Michigan
Date of Announcement:
March 1999
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets
properties in the Mancelona
Community, which includes the
Mancelona and Custer
Townships, and the Village of
Mancelona.
Contacts:
Antrim County Coordinator/
Planner
(616)533-6265
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA-Region 5
(312)353-3161
Visit the EPA Region 5 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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and metal fabricators—have been identified and are
undergoing investigation. The Pilot will focus on
properties along the US -131, M-5 5, M-8 8, and County
Road 571 corridors, as well as properties located
outside of the Mancelona Tar Lake Superfund site.
OBJECTIVES
The Mancelona Community has a redevelopment
vision that includes using partnerships to expand
affordable housing, recreational, and industrial and
commercial opportunities in the community. The
county will identify, prioritize, assess, and position
its brownfields sites for these redevelopment
opportunities. The Pilot will fund the key environmental
activities necessary for the community to attain its
objectives.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Using an Environmental Real Estate Assessment to
create a dynamic model that ranks prospective
brownfields properties;
• Performing Phase I and II environmental site
assessments on five to eight brownfields, with a
preference for publicly owned properties;
• Identifying a maximum of three of the targeted sites
and creating redevelopment plans for those sites
consistent with overall community plans;
• Building upon existing community involvement
mechanisms for land-use planning and health and
human services;
• Investigating various state funding options to
leverage cleanup and redevelopment activities; and
• Enhancing the capacity-building of local
government, non-profit organizations, and the
community to ensure sustainability after the grant
period.
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 Antrim County, Michigan
March 1999 EPA 500-F-99-003
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