United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-00-081
May 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
\>EPA Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
Allegan, Ml
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
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. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training
pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected
by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental
field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds
to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs 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 Allegan for a Brownfields
Pilot. Allegan was also selected to receive additional
funding for assessments at brownfields properties to
be used for greenspace purposes. Located in the
center of Allegan County, the city was built on the
historic presence of manufacturing and industrial
facilities, many of which are now abandoned or
underused. With apopulation of approximately 4,500,
the city provides many goods and services to a large
portion of the surrounding rural townships in the
county. Approximately 82 percent of the workforce
are high school graduates employed in manufacturing
and retail trades, and although the county has a low
unemployment rate, more than half of the current
workforce must travel outside of the county for
employment. The maj ority of the j obs associated with
the local manufacturing companies pay between
$6.00 and $10.00 per hour, resulting in a large
population of low-income and disadvantaged
households. The Allegan Brownfields Redevelopment
Authority, established in 1998, has initiated several
area redevelopment and beautification proj ects around
the historic and riverfront areas of the city. The city,
through its Pilot, plans to continue these efforts by
targeting an additional 5 to 11 properties for
assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment.
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Allegan, Ml
Date of Announcement:
May 2000
Amount: $200,000
Greenspace: $50,000
Profile: The Pilots will target up
to 11 brownfields properties inthe
City of Allegan's riverfront and
historic areas for assessment,
cleanup, and redevelopment.
Contacts:
City of Allegan Brownfields
Redevelopment Authority
(616)673-5511
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/
Forfurther 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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OBJECTIVES
Allegan's primary objective is to target up to 11
brownfields properties located along the Kalamazoo
River and in the city' s historic district for assessment,
cleanup, and redevelopment. Allegan's efforts,
supplemented by Pilot activities, will help to strengthen
the city's economic base and increase job
opportunities, develop affordable housing, preserve
the integrity of historically significantproperties, and
provide a link between the downtown business
district and the city' s fairgrounds and historic district.
The Pilot will leverage other city, state, and federal
grant programs, as well as private funding, for
cleanup and redevelopment activities. In addition,
the Pilot will use the supplemental greenspace funding
to conduct additional site assessments at up to three
targeted greenspace sites located adjacent to the
Kalamazoo River. The Pilot plans to coordinate its
efforts with existing business districts and other
redevelopment sites to ensure maximum economic
and community benefit.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Establishing two advisory groups, including abroad-
based stakeholder group consisting of private
citizens, community organization, developers, and
elected official, and atechnical committee consisting
of city, state, and federal government
representatives, an environmental consultant, and
environmental attorney;
• Identifying potential brownfields properties for
consideration in the project;
• Targeting up to 11 brownfields properties for
assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment;
• Conducting up to 10 Phase I and 6 Phase II site
assessments at targeted properties, including 3
greenspace sites;
• Assessing the exposure pathways to humans and
the river ecosystem at greenspace sites; and
• Leveraging additional funds from other city, state,
and federal government and private sources for
cleanup and redevelopment activities, including the
extension of the riverfront boardwalk and the
development of nature trails along the Kalamazoo
River and in the historic Mill District.
The cooperative agreementforthis Pilot has not yet been negotiated:
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subjectto change.
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot
May2000
Allegan, Ml
EPA 500-F-00-081
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