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  Brownfields  2008

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

       Woonsocket,  Rl


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 Woonsocket was selected to receive three
brownfields cleanup grants. Woonsocket (population
43,224) is an American Heritage River community with
an industrial past that is characterized by its numerous
underutilized and abandoned mill complexes. There are
over 320 brownfields, amounting to over 440 acres of
land, throughout the city. Brownfields tend to be
concentrated along the Blackstone River and within the
city's densely populated urban core. About 20 percent
of Woonsocket residents live at or below the poverty
level. The cleanup sites are located in a neighborhood
characterized by high numbers of unemployed, minor-
ity, and elderly residents. Cleanup of the sites is part of
a plan underway to redevelop the area into a new
educational campus. Once the sites are cleaned up, the
city plans to  construct two new, state-of-the-art middle
 Cleanup Grants
 $600,000 for hazardous substances
 EPA has selected the City of Woonsocket for three
 brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances
 grant funds will be used to clean up the former
 FDS Industries site at 138 Hamlet Avenue, the
 former ACS Industries site at 71 Villa Nova Street,
 and the former Florence Dye Works site at 168
 Florence Drive. Since the early 20th Century, these
 sites were used for the processing, dyeing, and
 storage of textiles. In addition to the various acids,
 solvents, and other hazardous materials related to
 textile manufacturing, there is evidence of contami-
 nation related to fill materials, such as coal and ash,
 on the sites. Grant funds will be used to remove
 and treat contaminated materials, install caps on
 the sites, and conduct ongoing monitoring 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: City of Woonsocket, RI
 401-767-1418

 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.
schools to replace its existing one. This redevelopment
project is expected to improve the city's public school
system, attract private investment to the community,
and increase surrounding property values.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-08-038
                         April 2008
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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