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Brownfields 2007
Grant Fact Sheet
Berkshire Regional
Planning
Commission,
Berkshire County, 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 Berkshire Regional Planning Commission was
selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants
and a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. Located in
western Massachusetts, Berkshire County includes 32
communities (combinedpopulation 134,953). By 1995,
the number of manufacturing jobs in the county had
declined from more than 40 percent of the county's
total jobs to only 14 percent. Over the last five years,
another 15 manufacturers have closed their doors.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Berkshire Regional Plan-
ning Commission for two brownfields assessment
grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be
used to inventory and prioritize sites, conduct ten
Phase I and two to three Phase II environmental
site assessments, and support community out-
reach activities throughout the region. Petroleum
grant funds will be used to perform the same
tasks at sites with potential petroleum contamina-
tion.
Revolving Loan Fund
Grant
$600,000 for hazardous substances
$400,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Berkshire Regional Plan-
ning Commission for a brownfields revolving loan
fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a
revolving loan fund from which the Berkshire
Regional Planning Commission will provide loans
and subgrants to support cleanup activities at sites
contaminated with petroleum and hazardous
substances. Grant funds also will be used to
conduct community outreach activities and
cleanup oversight.
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: Berkshire Regional Planning
Commission, MA
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-07-017
May 2007
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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High-paying manufacturing jobs have been replaced by
lower-paying retail and service sector jobs. There are
now more than 1,100 known brownfields in the county.
Many of these sites are located in neighborhoods with
large pockets of low-income residents. Berkshire
County has a declining population and the third highest
poverty level in the state. The county will assess and
clean up brownfields in the region's developed core.
which is home to 88 percent of its residents, 75 percent
of its developed land, and 95 percent of its jobs. This
will reduce threats to public health and the environment
and encourage redevelopment of urban core properties
into productive reuses.
413-442-1521
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 negotiated.
Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are
subject to change.
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