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  Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

       Mayaguez,  PR


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 Municipality of Mayagiiez was selected to receive
a brownfields assessment grant. Located in southwest
Puerto Rico, Mayagiiez (population 98,434) has an
unemployment rate of 8.8 percent, and 45.9 percent of
its residents live below the poverty level. The munici-
pality is focusing its brownfields efforts on its urban
core, where there are abandoned properties, structures
in need of rehabilitation, and underused sites. The
condition of the urban area hinders revitalization,
reduces opportunities for jobs and services, and
discourages investment in the community. Assessment
of brownfields will facilitate the restoration of eco-
logically sensitive areas, and the construction of
affordable housing and recreational space.
Brownfields redevelopment will enhance property
values, create jobs, and revitalize the community.
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the Municipality of Mayagiiez
for a brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum
grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields
inventory, Phase I environmental site assess-
ments, and at least six Phase II environmental site
assessments. Funds also will be used for commu-
nity 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 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4314
http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/
brownfields/

Grant Recipient: Municipality of Mayagiiez, PR
787-833-2071

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.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA560-F-07-106
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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