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  Brownfields 2007

  Grant  Fact Sheet

          Rockford,  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 Rockford was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants and three  brownfields
cleanup grants. Located in northern Illinois, Rockford
(population 150,115), which was once a thriving
manufacturing community, has since experienced
decades of decline. The city is a diverse community
where 31.6 percent of residents are minorities, and 14
percent live below the poverty level. The city's unem-
ployment rate is 8.1 percent. In some of the target area
neighborhoods, that rate exceeds 20 percent. As
businesses have closed and relocated, the city has been
left with clusters of brownfield sites. Brownfields are
located in older, economically distressed, and
underserved areas of Rockford. Several large indus-
trial concentrations are located along the Rock River.
Assessment of brownfields will help the  city coordi-
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the City of Rockford for two
brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to conduct
seven to nine Phase I and three to five Phase II
environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant
funds will be used to conduct eight to ten Phase I
and four to six Phase II environmental site
assessments. Funds from both grants also will be
used for community outreach activities. Efforts
will focus on the west side of the city.
                                   ''New
                                   12007
Cleanup  Grants
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$600,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the City of Rockford for three
brownfields cleanup grants. Grant funds will be
used to clean up the Rock Street Frontage prop-
erty at 1200 Rock Street, and the River Street and
former Machine Shop sites at 110 and 150
Loomis Street, respectively. All three sites are
part of the former Barber Colman manufacturing
facility. They are contaminated with metals and
volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds.
Contaminant migration to groundwater also is a
concern since the  sites are close to the Rock
River. Funds from all grants also will be used for
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 Rockford, IL
815-987-5636
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA560-F-07-145
                        May 2007
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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nate and stimulate much-needed redevelopment. When
the Rock Street Frontage, River Street, and Machine
Shop sites are cleaned up, they will be used for
greenspace, and retail and residential facilities.
Brownfields redevelopment will reduce potential risks
to human health and the environment, restore public
access to the riverfront, create a walkable community,
and increase the tax base.
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 negotiated.
Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are
subject to change.

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