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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
South Brewer
Redevelopment, LLC,
Brewer, 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
South Brewer Redevelopment, LLC, was selected to
receive two brownfields cleanup grants. Brewer
(population 8,951) is located along the Penobscot River
in southern Maine. The Eastern Fine Paper mill
property operated in the city from 1889 to 2004. The
mill was the city's largest employer for 90 of those
years, and employed up to 900 employees at its peak of
operation. It also was the city's largest taxpayer.
Following closure of the mill, unemployment, taxes, and
water rates all have increased while the tax base has
decreased. The former paper mill is in a neighborhood
where 26 percent of households earn less than $15,000
Cleanup Grants
$400,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected South Brewer Redevelopment,
LLC, for two brownfields cleanup grants. Hazard-
ous substances grant funds will be used to clean up
the abandoned Eastern Fine Paper mill sites on
Oak Street and at 519 South Main Street in
Brewer. Contaminants of concern include heavy
metals, semi-volatile organic compounds, and
PCBs. Grant funds will be used to develop cleanup
plans, remove and dispose of contaminated materi-
als, and conduct 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 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1424
http://www.epa.gov/regionl/brownfields
Grant Recipient: South Brewer Redevelopment,
LLC, ME
207-989-7500
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.
per year. The deterioration of the mill buildings has
driven down adjacent home values, and the number of
brownfields has increased. Cleanup of the mill sites is
expected to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful
contaminants and serve as a catalyst to reverse
conditions in the area. The proposed redevelopment
of the mill sites into a modular fabrication facility is
expected to provide over 500 new jobs and leverage
over $50 million in private investment.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-08-029
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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