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Brownfields 2007
Grant Fact Sheet
Westbrook, 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 Westbrook was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located in southern coastal
Maine along the Presumpscot River in Cumberland
County, Westbrook (population 16,142) was settled in
the late 1600s. As a historic mill town, Westbrook
struggles with the legacy of its industrial heritage. The
Presumpscot River fueled the town's lumber, textile,
and pulp and paper mills for more than 200 years.
Most of these mills have closed in recent years,
significantly impacting the local economy. For ex-
ample, a paper manufacturer closed in 1999. In the
process, 3,500 jobs were eliminated, local tax rev-
enues were reduced, and operations from more than
140 acres of prime industrial land were downsized.
With the mill closures, the number of families earning
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Westbrook for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the former
Haskell Silk Co. Mill site located at 895 Main
Street. Beginning in the 1800s, the site was used
for commercial and industrial purposes. The site
is contaminated with metals and polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons. Grant funds also will be
used to develop cleanup plans 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: City of Westbrook, ME
207-854-9105, ext. 226
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.
less than the median income increased from 42 percent
in 1990 to 53 percent in 2000. A developer recently
expressed interest in redeveloping the target cleanup
site with a seven-story, multi-use building and public
park. This project will attract an estimated $10 million
in private investment and create about 150 new full-
time jobs.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-07-192
May 2007
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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