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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Baraboo, 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 Baraboo was selected to receive three
brownfields cleanup grants. Located between Madison
and the Wisconsin Dells, Baraboo (population 10,711)
includes the portion of the Baraboo River called the
Baraboo Rapids. At the turn of the previous century,
the river's abundant water supply powered the lumber
and textile industries in Baraboo. Today, the dams that
provided power for industry have been removed, but
the riverfront continues to serve as an industrial area.
The target cleanup sites are in the Ringling Riverfront
District that runs through the center of Baraboo and
contains 16 brownfields. Housing values in these
neighborhoods are about half of the county and state
averages. When the Vine Street Right-of-Way and the
Eastern and Western Manufactured Gas Plant sites are
cleaned up, the city plans to redevelop them for mixed
residential and commercial uses. This redevelopment is
Cleanup Grants
$600,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Baraboo for three
brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the Vine Street
Right-of-Way site and the Eastern and Western
Manufactured Gas Plant sites on Vine Street. The
right-of-way site was once part of a raceway. The
former manufactured gas plants are currently being
used by an energy company as offices, a garage,
and an equipment storage yard. The sites are
contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-
bons, cyanide, and volatile organic compounds.
Grant funds also will be used to perform air
monitoring and conduct 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 Baraboo, WI
608-355-2715
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.
expected to provide the catalyst for larger riverfront
redevelopment efforts, restore neighborhood property
values, and create jobs. Cleanup of brownfields also is
expected to help protect the quality of the Baraboo
River and make land available for the Baraboo
Riverwalk Path.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-08-142
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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