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/ ------- 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 ------- |