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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Kentwood, 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 this 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. Additionally, funding support is
provided to state and tribal response programs through
a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The City of Kentwood was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located in southern
Kent County, Kentwood (population 45,255) is a first-
tier suburb of Grand Rapids. Originally, industries in
Kentwood consisted of sawmills, tanneries, black-
smiths, and gypsum mining. In the late 1970s, industrial
development expanded to include manufacturing,
assembly plants, and tool-and-die companies. By 2000,
the industrial sector provided 42 percent of the city's
total employment. However, from 2000 to 2007,
manufacturing declined, and the city lost more than
2,100 jobs. As businesses closed, they left behind
vacant and underused sites, mostly located in the city's
northern industrial corridor near residential areas with
sensitive populations. The city has identified nearly
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Kentwood for a
brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-
stances grant funds will be used to inventory sites
and conduct about 10 Phase I and six Phase II
environmental site assessments, with a focus on
sites in the city's northern industrial corridor. Grant
funds also will be used 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 Kentwood, MI
616-554-0709
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.
three million square feet of vacant space at brownfield
sites. These sites range from large manufacturing
facilities to small commercial enterprises such as dry
cleaners and auto repair centers. Brownfields assess-
ment is expected to help the city identify health risks
associated with these sites and encourage cleanup and
redevelopment.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-08-115
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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