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  Brownfields  2004

  Grant  Fact Sheet

        Pioneer Valley

Planning  Commission,

       Middlefield and

            Ware,  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 Pioneer Valley Planning Commission was selected
to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Pioneer
Valley (population 602,000) encompasses 43 cities and
towns in western Massachusetts and is a federally
designated Economic Development Area. Economic
prosperity in the valley is uneven, and the overall
poverty rate has increased steadily over 30 years from
9.4 to 13.4 percent. Middlefield (population 542) is a
rural farm community favored by local artisans. The
general store property was once used as a gathering
                      Assessment Grant
                      $150,000 for petroleum

                      EPA has selected the Pioneer Valley Planning
                      Commission for a brownfields assessment grant.
                      Grant funds will be used to perform a Phase II
                      site assessment at a former general store and
                      filling station in Middlefield. Additional Phase I and
                      Phase II assessments will be performed on an as-
                      needed basis on other as yet unidentified sites with
                      potential petroleum contamination.
                      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: Pioneer Valley Planning
                      Commission, MA
                      413-781-6045

                      The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
                      yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
                      in this fact sheet are subject to change.
                   point for local residents and currently houses the town
                   post office. Rehabilitation of the property will bring
                   back the local commercial business, and a common
                   gathering place for the community.
                                               Solid Waste and
                                               Emergency Response
                                               (5105T)
                                           EPA560-F-04-174
                                           June 2004
                                           www.epa.gov/brownfields

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