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  Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

          Auburn,  ME


EPA Brownfields Program

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders 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 Auburn was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located along the
Androscoggin River, Auburn (population 23,203) was
once considered the shoe manufacturing capital of the
world. Shoe manufacturing began in the area in the
1800s, and by the 20th Century, other large manufactur-
ers operated in Auburn. Between 1980 and 2005, the
city lost 27 percent of its manufacturing jobs, which
were replaced with lower-paying jobs in the retail sector.
More than 24 percent of families in downtown Auburn
live below the poverty level, and the city's median
household income is below state and national averages.
Brownfield sites in the city contribute to a negative
perception of Auburn. Brownfields assessments will help
the city catalyze economic redevelopment and reduce
potential threats to human  health and the environment.
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Auburn for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to inventory
brownfield sites, conduct ten Phase I and three to
five Phase II environmental site assessments, and
perform 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
617-918-1424
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/

Grant Recipient: City of Auburn, ME
207-333-6600

The information presented in this fact sheet comes
from  the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the
accuracy of this information. The cooperative
agreement for the grant has not yet been negoti-
ated.  Therefore, activities described in this fact
sheet are subject to change.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA560-F-07-012
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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