5 o T> Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet Ashland, Wl 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 Ashland was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Ashland (population 8,502) is located in northern Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Superior and the southern tip of Chequamegon Bay. In the late 1800s, Ashland was one of the largest shipping ports on the Great Lakes, with 16 commercial docks serving the waterfront. The city's economy was dominated by logging industries, sawmills, and iron ore shipping from nearby mines in Michigan and Minne- sota. As these industries declined and mines closed in the 1950s, Ashland's economy and population also declined. Ashland has lower average per capita and median household incomes and higher unemployment and poverty rates than the state as a whole. The city's population has decreased by a rate of five percent per decade since 1970. The city is targeting sites along the Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Ashland for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to conduct about eight to 12 Phase I and four to eight Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to support community 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 Ashland, WI 715-682-7002 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. waterfront and in residential areas for assessment. Brownfields assessments will help determine site impacts and are expected to help the city leverage funding for site cleanups and catalyze redevelopment. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-08-141 April 2008 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |