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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Earth Conservancy,
Hanover Township,
PA
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders to work together to
prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the
expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be
complicated by the presence or potential presence of a
hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. On
January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed
into law the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under this law, EPA
provides financial assistance to eligible applicants
through four competitive grant programs: assessment
grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and
job training grants. Additionally, funding support is
provided to state and tribal response programs through
a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The Earth Conservancy (EC) was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. The EC (serving a popula-
tion of 94,228) has partnered with federal agencies to
create the Espy Run Wetlands Treatment Area in
Hanover Township (population 11,488), located in
eastern Pennsylvania. Former coal strip mining
operations in the area resulted in acid mine drainage.
The Espy Run Wetlands Treatment Area sat dormant
for nearly two decades until the EC purchased the land
from the Blue Coal Corporation in 1994. Cleanup of
Espy Run and its associated wetlands is expected to
Cleanup Grant
$178,524 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Earth Conservancy for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up Espy Run in
Hanover Township. Espy Run and its associated
wetlands are part of the Nanticoke Creek Water-
shed and are contaminated with acid mine drainage
from former anthracite coal mining operations in
the area. Grant funds will be used to install an
aerobic wetlands treatment system to reduce iron
concentrations in the watershed.
Contacts
For further information, including specific grant
contacts, additional grant information, brownfields
news and events, and publications and links, visit
the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/
brownfields.
EPA Region 3 Brownfields Team
215-814-3129
http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bfs
Grant Recipient: Earth Conservancy, PA
570-823-3445
The information presented in this fact sheet comes
from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the
accuracy of this information. The cooperative
agreement for the grant has not yet been negoti-
ated. Therefore, activities described in mis fact
sheet are subject to change.
reduce environmental and health hazards in the area
and open up surrounding lands for reclamation and
development. The EC owns adjacent lands mat it plans
to convert into mixed-use and industrial sites. Plans
call for these lands to be bisected by a highway that is
expected to improve transportation and spur economic
opportunities in the area.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-08-260
July 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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