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Brownfields 2005
Grant Fact Sheet
Berkshire Regional
Planning Commission,
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, President George
W. Bush 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. Addi-
tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission was
selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
Over half of the region's high-paying manufacturing
jobs were lost when Berkshire County's two major
manufacturers closed or restructured over a decade
ago. Since then, more smaller manufacturing compa-
nies have closed, further increasing job losses and
dotting the landscape with well over 1,000 brownfields.
With rising unemployment that is already above the
state average and a declining population, Berkshire
County (population 130,953) ranks third in the state for
the highest poverty level. Many of the underused and
Assessment Grant (20051
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Berkshire Regional Plan-
ning Commission for a brownfields assessment
grant. Grant funds will be used to inventory, map,
rank, and prioritize brownfields; perform Phase I
and Phase II site assessments; and reach out to
the community during each step of the process.
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: Berkshire Regional Planning
Commission, MA
413-442-1521
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
abandoned manufacturing and commercial properties
exist adjacent to residential areas in the county's urban
cores. Assessment and reuse of brownfields will
breathe new life into the economy and preserve
greenfields. The Berkshire Regional Planning Commis-
sion plans to assess brownfields for cleanup and
redevelopment in the urban cores where 95 percent of
the region's jobs once existed, thereby reducing blight
and contamination, and promoting investment and new
employment.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-05-010
May 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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