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  Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

         Brockton,  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 Brockton was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. A major urban commu-
nity 20 miles south of Boston, Brockton (population
94,304) was a shoe manufacturing center from the late
18th Century through the 1950s. Due to global compe-
tition, Brockton experienced a decline of its industrial
base, which has led to economic decline. Brockton,
where 38 percent of residents are minorities, ranks
320th for median income out of the 351 communities in
Massachusetts. The city has a 5.7 percent unemploy-
ment rate. Brownfields redevelopment is a critical
element of Brockton's revitalization because 96 percent
of the city is developed. Brownfields comprise about
one third of the area in the Economic Corridor, an area
that borders both sides of a railway through Brockton.
The city envisions reusing the corridor as a mixed-use,
 Assessment Grant
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 EPA has selected the City of Brockton for a
 brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
 stances grant funds will be used to perform Phase
 I and Phase II environmental site assessments,
 and conduct community involvement 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 Brockton, MA
 508-580-7113

 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.
transit-oriented urban village. Brownfields assessment
will help the city identify and deal with the potential
risks to public health and facilitate redevelopment.
Brownfields redevelopment will improve economic,
environmental, and public health conditions in the city.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-07-022
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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