5 o T> Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission 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 Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission (SMRPC) was selected to receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. SMRPC is a council of governments serving 39 communities (combined population 202,315) in an area extending from the Atlantic coast to the White Mountains. Most southern Maine communities developed around industrial mills built during the 1800s. Mill buildings therefore generally form the downtown centers of their communities. Today, most mill sites in the region are abandoned. SMRPC has identified more than 300 brownfield sites Revolving Loan Fund Grant $1,000,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission (SMRPC) for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which SMRPC will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Grant funds will be used to operate the revolving loan fund, plan and oversee site cleanups, and support 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: Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission 207-324-2952 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. in the region. Many communities in the region have been severely affected by the loss of more than 17,000 manufacturing jobs in the state during the past decade. Residents in many areas around mill complexes earn very low incomes. For example, there are at least 26 neighborhoods in the region where residents earn less than 80 percent of the national per capita income. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-07-159 May 2007 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- Unemployment, low incomes, and the high cost of living have contributed to a declining economy through- out the region. Brownfields redevelopment is needed to reduce sprawl, attract investors and jobs, and revitalize local economies. ------- |