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  Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

        Loves  Park,  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 Loves Park was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Located in northwest-
ern Illinois near the City of Rockford, Loves Park
(population 20,044) was incorporated in 1947. The
commercial and industrial base of the city developed
along the busy Illinois Route 251. The corridor at one
time was referred to as "gasoline alley" because  of the
number of service stations attracted to its heavy
vehicle traffic. When an Interstate highway was  built a
few miles to the east, the Illinois 251 Corridor began a
slow decline. Today, the corridor is characterized by
devalued property and economic stagnation. Poverty
levels in the corridor are higher than those of the city,
county, and state. Brownfields assessment will lever-
age redevelopment activities in the corridor with retail
 Assessment Grants
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 $200,000 for petroleum

 EPA has selected the City of Loves Park for two
 brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
 substances grant funds will be used to conduct up
 to 12 Phase I and seven Phase II environmental
 site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be
 used to conduct up to 12 Phase I and up to nine
 Phase II environmental site assessments. Funds
 from both grants will be used to prioritize sites
 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 5 Brownfields Team
 312-886-7576
 http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

 Grant Recipient: City of Loves Park, IL
 815-654-5030

 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.
trades and services that will provide new jobs, increase
tax revenues, and expand parks and greenspace.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-07-098
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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