5 o T> Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet Northern Mariana Islands Division of Environmental Quality 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 Northern Mariana Islands Division of Environ- mental Quality was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) consists of 14 islands (total population 69,221) with a land area of 183.5 square miles. The largest island, Saipan, is about 100 miles northeast of Guam and 3,300 miles west of Honolulu. Since becoming a commonwealth in 1976, the CNMI has experienced a population boom. Growth in the Assessment Grant $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the Northern Mariana Islands Division of Environmental Quality for a brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct community out- reach activities and perform 20 Phase I and eight Phase II environmental site assessments on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. 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 9 Brownfields Team 415-972-3092 http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/ index.html Grant Recipient: Northern Mariana Islands Division of Environmental Quality 670-664-8500 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. garment industry created a demand for guest labor. Today, more than 56 percent of CNMI residents are non-U.S. citizens. The per capita income is only $9,151, and 46 percent of CNMI residents live below the poverty level. Brownfields include former garment factories, dry cleaners, auto shops, and heavy equip- ment facilities. There also are a number of sites contaminated by historic military operations. Assess- ment of brownfields will encourage investment and redevelopment and help preserve the highly valuable limited land resources on the islands. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-07-130 May 2007 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |