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  Brownfields 2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

          Freeport,  IL


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 Freeport was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in the histori-
cally industrial region of northern Illinois about 15
miles from the Wisconsin border, Freeport (population
26,433) has an economy built on manufacturing and
heavy industry. With the decline of these industries,
many properties are  now vacant or underused. The
poverty rates among minority residents in the city
range from 26 to 36 percent. Unemployment among
African-Americans is 20 percent. Freeport is focused
on the redevelopment of brownfields in the East Side
and Rawleigh Corridor, a major downtown economic
center. The East Side contains  a mix of aging housing
and closed industrial facilities. East Side residents
have expressed concern about environmental contami-
 Assessment Grants
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 $200,000 for petroleum

 EPA has selected the City of Freeport for two
 brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
 substances grant funds will be used to conduct up
 to five Phase II environmental site assessments.
 Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct up
 to six Phase II environmental site assessments.
 Funds from both grants will be used to 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 5 Brownfields Team
 312-886-7576
 http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

 Grant Recipient: City of Freeport, IL
 815-235-8221

 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.
nation in their neighborhood. Assessment of
brownfields in these two areas will remove a barrier to
the redevelopment needed to expand business opportu-
nities, create jobs, and spur private investment.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-07-054
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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