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 Brownfields  2004

 Grant  Fact  Sheet

    Franklin Regional

           Council of

       Governments,

 Franklin  County,  MA


EPA Brownfields Program

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up,
and sustainably reuse brownfields. Abrownfield 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, the President
signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields
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 pro-
grams through a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The Franklin Regional Council of Governments was
selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
Franklin County (population 71,535) is located in the
upper Connecticut River Valley in western Massachu-
setts. It  is the most rural area in the commonwealth.
Historically, agriculture and manufacturing have been
the dominant sectors of the regional economy. Al-
though manufacturing is still the area's largest em-
ployer (31.7 percent), closure of many of the region's
larger manufacturing facilities has created environmen-
                      Assessment Grant
                      $200,000 for hazardous substances

                      EPA has selected the Franklin Regional Council
                      of Governments for a brownfields assessment
                      grant. Grant funds will be used to update the
                      council's inventory of brownfields sites, conduct
                      community outreach activities, develop site access
                      strategies, perform Phase I and II site assess-
                      ments, and prepare remediation plans for three
                      sites within Franklin County. If funds permit, other
                      sites will be added to this project.
                      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 1 Brownfields Team
                      617-918-1221
                      http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/

                      Grant Recipient: Franklin Regional Council of
                      Governments, MA
                      413-774-1194

                      The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
                      yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
                      described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                    tal, economic, and social problems. Twenty of the
                    county's 26 communities have lower per capita in-
                    comes than the state average. The per capita income
                    in the county is 80 percent of the state average. The
                    three target sites, a railyard, an auto dealership/garage,
                    and an asphalt plant, are near the Connecticut River, an
                    American Heritage River. Revitalization plans include
                    expanding the Trolley Museum at the former railyard
                    site, and redeveloping the other two sites for commer-
                    cial space, greenspace, senior housing, or downtown
                    parking. These activities are expected to generate
                    additional tourism, bring jobs to the area, and enhance
                    tax revenues.
                                                Solid Waste and
                                                Emergency Response
                                                (5105T)
                                           EPA 560-F-04-048
                                           June 2004
                                           www.epa.gov/brownfields

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