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Brownfields  2005
 Grant  Fact  Sheet
        Haverhill,  MA
EPA Brownfields Program

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
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 Haverhill was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in northeast-
ern Massachusetts, Haverhill (population 58,969) was
founded in 1640 and was an international center for
shoe production through the middle of the 20th Century.
Haverhill is now struggling with many of the same
economic development problems facing other historic
industrial cities of the Merrimack Valley. It has a
poverty rate of more than 21 percent, and a 26 percent
minority population. Of the 183 hazardous waste sites
in Haverhill, the city has identified 11 potential
brownfields sites in the targeted downtown area,
collectively occupying ten acres. Of particular concern
are contaminants related to shoe manufacturing, such
  Assessment Grants
  $200,000 for hazardous substances
  $200,000 for petroleum
  EPA has selected the City of Haverhill for two
  brownfields assessment grants. The grants will
  allow the city to create a comprehensive database
  and GIS maps of potential brownfields, expand its
  program of bilingual community outreach, and
  conduct Phase I and II environmental site assess-
  ments for sites with hazardous substances or
  petroleum contamination within the downtown
  area.
  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
  617-918-1221
  http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/

  Grant Recipient: City of Haverhill, MA
  978-374-2347

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
as salts, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds.
Petroleum contamination from former gas stations that
occupied downtown sites is also a concern. Redevelop-
ment of these abandoned sites will improve the quality
of life within the city center, reduce sprawl and pollu-
tion, and create jobs. Currently, there is no greenspace
within the target area, and the city will redevelop one
or more of the vacant sites into "pocket parks,"
enhancing the quality of urban life for downtown
residents.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA560-F-05-169
                         May 2005
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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