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 Brownfields 2005
 Grant  Fact Sheet
         Holyoke, 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 City of Holyoke was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. This city of 39,838 residents
is heavily dependent on manufacturing, which provides
jobs for 23  percent of the city's workforce. Because
this level represents a decline in manufacturing jobs,
the city hopes to redevelop former manufacturing sites
to maintain  new opportunities in Holyoke's industrial
core. Within that urban core, more than 50 percent of
residents fall below the poverty line, and the median
household income is half the level of the rest of the
city. The 1.4-acre former Hallmark Van Lines property
in this core  has been condemned because of fire
damage. It is contaminated with waste oil, lead,
asbestos, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.
   Cleanup Grant
   $200,000 for hazardous substances
  EPA has selected the City of Holyoke for a
  brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be
  used to remove and dispose of contaminants at
  the former Hallmark Van Lines property on
  Middle Water Street. Funds also will be used to
  demolish a building, place brick and concrete as
  fill, and conduct community outreach activities.
   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: City of Holyoke, MA
  413-322-5655

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Cleaning up and redeveloping the property will remove
blight and an imminent hazard to the neighborhood,
generate tax revenues, provide needed jobs, and
improve public health. A paper company has committed
to purchasing and building on the site after its cleanup.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-05-071
                        May 2005
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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