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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Three Rivers, 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 Three Rivers was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located in St. Joseph's
County in southern Michigan, Three Rivers (population
7,328) is a manufacturing community. Between 1996
and 2000, hundreds of jobs were lost when major
manufacturers closed plants and laid off workers in
Three Rivers. Per capita income in the city averages
25 percent below the national rate. More than 30
percent of residents in the neighborhood surrounding
the former Essex Wire property have incomes below
the poverty level. The site has impeded growth and
added to the blight and declining value of the neighbor-
hood. Cleanup of the site is expected to assist in
addressing the disproportionately high human health
and environmental effects the site has on low-income
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Three Rivers for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the former
Essex Wire site at 618 Fourth Street. This vacant
20-acre site has an industrial history dating back to
the 1870s. A foundry and car company, and
railroad equipment and copper wire manufacturers
once occupied the site. Site soils are contaminated
with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs,
and metals.
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 Three Rivers, MI
269-273-1075
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.
populations. After the site is cleaned up, the city plans
to create a public trail along the river adjacent to the
site. This trail is expected to provide walkable access
from residential neighborhoods into downtown, support-
ing businesses along the waterfront.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-08-121
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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