5
                           o
 Brownfields 2005

  Grant  Fact Sheet

    Middlesex County

         Improvement

         Authority, NJ

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 Middlesex County Improvement Authority was
selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
Middlesex County (population 750,000) encompasses
25 municipalities characterized by a wide variety of
socio-economic indicators. The more urbanized and
north-county cities, including Perth Amboy, New
Brunswick, and Carteret, have the greatest indications
of socio-economic stress. For example, the family
poverty rate in the city of New Brunswick is almost 17
percent, unemployment exceeds seven percent, and
almost 64 percent of the population are minorities.
According to the state, there are more than 775
  Assessment Grant
  $200,000 for petroleum
  EPA has selected the Middlesex County Improve-
  ment Authority for a brownfields assessment
  grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct prelimi-
  nary assessments and site investigations of
  petroleum-contaminated sites throughout
  Middlesex County. The program will focus on
  sites, many of which will be abandoned gas
  stations, that have significant redevelopment
  potential.
  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 2 Brownfields Team
  212-637-4314
  http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/
  brownfields/
  Grant Recipient: Middlesex County Improvement
  Authority, NJ
  609-655-5141
  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
contaminated sites in Middlesex County. These sites
are disproportionately located in the older industrial
and waterfront communities in the northern half of
the county. Although most of the sites are small, their
negative impact on neighborhoods is often large.
They serve as barriers to development, harbors for
crime, and reminders of the neglect and decline of
the community. Assessment and redevelopment of
such sites will contribute to the social and economic
fabric of the community. New investments in these
sites will increase tax revenues, create jobs, and
have a ripple effect on adjacent properties.
                                                Solid Waste and
                                                Emergency Response
                                                (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-05-033
                        May 2005
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

-------