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Brownfields 2006
Grant Fact Sheet
Rock Falls, 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 Rock Falls was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located in northwestern
Illinois, Rock Falls (population 9,580) is a small
community that has experienced steady losses in
manufacturing jobs over the last two decades. The
city's declining economy has negatively impacted the
lives of many of the city residents and left approxi-
mately 100 acres of vacant and dilapidated industrial
properties along the Rock Falls riverfront. The most
dramatic job losses occurred in 2002 with the closure
of Northwestern Steel & Wire and the Reliant Fastener
Corporation, when nearly 1,600 area residents were
left unemployed. The impact of this downturn is
especially apparent in the target community, the Rock
Falls Riverfront Redevelopment Area (RRA). The
RRA consists of 144 properties, the vast majority of
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Rock Falls for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the former
Northwestern Steel & Wire/Parish Alford Site at
100 5th Avenue. This facility is contaminated
with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, metals,
polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides as a
result of its more than 100 years of industrial
activity. Grant funds also will be used to prepare
a cleanup plan for the site and conduct commu-
nity involvement 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 Rock Falls, IL
815-564-1366
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
which are defunct industrial lands that are vacant and
underutilized, and impose visual and economic blight
on the adjacent target community. Nearly ten percent of
area residents live below the poverty level, and the
median household income is significantly lower than
the state median. Cleanup of the riverfront properties
will support the city in its efforts to redevelop these
properties for uses that are compatible with the adja-
cent residential area. In addition to local retail and
service development, the RRA plans to create public
open space that will expand recreation options for the
target community and help the riverfront become a
social anchor for the community.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-06-096
May 2006
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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