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Brownfields 2007
Grant Fact Sheet
Lawrence, MA
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 Lawrence was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants and a brownfields
cleanup grant. Lawrence (population 72,043), located
in the Merrimack Valley, was founded in 1845 as the
nation's first planned city. Its core industries were
textile and shoe manufacturing. Although these indus-
tries began leaving in the early 20th Century, the large
riverside mills remain as a legacy to a once booming
economy. They are scattered throughout the city's
federally designated Renewal Community and Empow-
erment Zones. The state has identified 273 brownfield
sites in Lawrence. Lawrence residents have the lowest
per capita income in the state, and nearly 60 percent of
city residents are Latino. Unemployment rates consis-
tently hover at twice the regional, state, and national
averages. Assessment of the brownfields is essential to
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Lawrence for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to perform
Phase I and II environmental site assessments.
Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform ten
Phase I and six Phase II environmental site
assessments. Both funds will be used to conduct
community outreach activities in neighborhoods
throughout the city.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Lawrence for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be
used to clean up the 2.8-acre former Oxford Mill
property at 21 Canal Street. The site is known to
have been contaminated with heavy metals and
PCBs. Funds also will be used to conduct com-
munity outreach.
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 Lawrence, MA
978-794-5 89 l,ext. 17
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)
EPA 560-F-07-093
May 2007
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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improving economic and social benefits for the city.
including jobs and neighborhood improvements.
Cleanup of the former Oxford Mill will remove a
blighted property from a downtown gateway and allow
creation of a park connecting other greenspaces along
the Spicket River Greenway. This park will serve one
of the lowest income neighborhoods in the city and help
spur redevelopment in the city's historic district.
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