United States
                       Environmental
                       Protection Agency
                       Washington, D.C. 20460
  Solid Waste
  and Emergency
  Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-97-009
May 1997

                       National  Brownfields
                       Assessment  Pilot
                                                          Chicopee,  MA
  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. Between 1995 and 1996, EPA funded 76 National and Regional Brownfields
Assessment Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of brownfields
solutions. EPAis funding morethan 27 Pilots in 1997. 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 the City  of Chicopee  for a
Brownfields Pilot. Chicopee's (population 56,600)
downtown industry is prevented from expanding by
contaminated industrial properties. One particular
site (the former Bay State Wire Company) will be the
target of the Pilot. The Bay State Wire Building was
destroyed by fire in  1993, eliminating 40 jobs and
over $80,000 in tax revenues. The State has removed
hazardous materials from the surface (drums,
asbestos), but contaminated soils are suspected.
Abutting industries cannot  expand  due to
environmental contamination at the site. At least
three other brownfields also will be assessed based on
experience gained from the Bay State Wire site. Most
of Chicopee's former industrial sites lie in the poor
and disadvantaged section of the City.

OBJECTIVES

Chicopee's brownfields focus is to restore the former
Bay State Wire site. A prospective purchaser already
has expressed interest in redeveloping the Bay State
Wire site. The Chicopee Brownfield Task Force has
established the following  objectives: 1) minimize
administrative costs  for brownfields revitalization
projects; 2)  maximize the use of funding for site
assessment, remediation, and monitoring; 3) create a
  PILOT SNAPSHOT
 Chicopee, Massachusetts
                     Date of Award:
                     September 1996

                     Amount: $59,000
  Site Profile: The Pilot
  targets the 1.85-acre
  former site of the Bay
  State Wire Company
  building, which is abutted
  by small industries and a
  dense residential
  neighborhood.
Contacts:

Thomas Haberlin
Chicopee Office of
Community Development
(413)594-4711
 Dianne Kelley
 U.S. EPA-Region 1
 (617)573-9672
 kelley.dianne@
 epamail.epa.gov
        Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at:
        http://www.epa.gov/brownfields

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working model for future brownfields cleanup and
reuse; 4) develop a database and criteria for best use
of public and private funding; and 5) educate the
community on brownfields issues.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

The Pilot has:

• Conducted a neighborhood meeting in November
 1996 as part of the planned educational program for
 the Willimansett neighborhood;

• Coordinated the first brownfields public information
 session on February 20, 1997 at a local hall. This
 meeting included residents, representatives from an
 abutting industry interested in expansion, and Health
 Department officials;

• Finalized plans and specifications for the removal of
 hazardous materials at the site; and

• Distributed the second Brownfields Newsletter to
 City residents and other interested parties in June
 1997.

The Pilot is:

• Continuing discussions with abutting industries
 which show interest  in redevelopment of the
 Brownfields Pilot area; and

• Documenting the brownfields  process into  a
 replicable model for future brownfields cleanup and
 reuse projects will take place during the summer.

LEVERAGING OTHER ACTIVITIES

Experience with the Chicopee Pilothas been acatalyst
for related activities including the following.

• Began the assessment of the nature and extent of
 contamination at the former  Bay State Wire  site.
 The Chicopee Brownfields Pilot award was for
 $59,000. The balance of the expenses for the site
 assessment and other activities are provided from
 other City resources. A Phase I report forthe site the
 environmental conditions of the building and site
 has been completed, and areas of concern have been
 identified.  Cleanup of the site will begin in May
 1997.
 National Brownfields Assessment Pilot                                           Chicopee, Massachusetts
 May 1997                                                                      EPA 500-F-97-009

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