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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
Pittsfield, ME
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 Town of Pittsfield was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located about 35 miles
west of Bangor, Pittsfield (population 4,214) has long
been a commercial and industrial business hub in
central Maine. Pittsfield is the largest town in a 20-mile
radius and a regional employment center, with about
3,000 people working daily in the town. The area was
negatively impacted by the loss of more than 170 jobs
between 2001 and 2004. As a result of the economic
slump and closings of factories and other businesses
since 2000, the town's unemployment rate in 2007
reached 7.3 percent. Pittsfield has targeted the Eelweir
Road site for redevelopment. The site is an abandoned,
blighted property in a high-visibility location along a
busy transportation route. Development in Pittsfield's
downtown area and its industrial park has resulted in
Cleanup Grant
$40,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Town of Pittsfield for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the 0.8-acre
Eelweir Road site at 10 Eelweir Road. The site
was used by a variety of commercial businesses,
including a printing company. Site soil is contami-
nated with heavy metals and inorganic contami-
nants. Grant funds also will be used to develop
cleanup plans and designs and to support commu-
nity 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 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1424
http://www.epa.gov/regionl/brownfields
Grant Recipient: Town of Pittsfield, ME
207-487-3136
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.
business expansions along this main route out of
town. Site cleanup is expected to facilitate develop-
ment interest in the area and remove an eyesore from
the community.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-08-027
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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