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Brownfields 2007
Grant Fact Sheet
Buchanan, Ml
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 Buchanan was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in Berrien
County in southwestern Michigan, Buchanan (popula-
tion 4,681) is a rural community with a long history of
manufacturing. Manufacturing activities have included
water-powered mills, furniture production, and most
recently, metal parts production. By 1960, the Clark
Equipment Company had become Buchanan's driving
economic force. Its plants occupied more than 30 acres
near the city's downtown and along McCoy Creek. The
company closed its facilities in 1985, resulting in the
loss of 4,000 jobs and a steady decline in population.
Closure of the Clark and other industrial and commer-
cial operations has severely depressed the city's
economy and left behind over 70 acres of brownfields
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Buchanan for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to identify and
prioritize brownfields in Buchanan's downtown
area and along McCoy Creek. Grant funds also
will be used to conduct eight Phase I and eight
Phase II environmental site assessments and 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 Buchanan, MI
269-695-3844
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.
in this small town. Assessment of priority brownfields
is expected to leverage cleanup and redevelopment
investments.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-07-023
May 2007
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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