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  Brownfields 2008

  Grant  Fact Sheet

          Caguas,  PR


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 Municipality of Caguas (population 140,502) was
selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants.
Located in central Puerto Rico within the Turabo
Valley, Caguas has experienced rapid population and
urban growth, making it difficult for the local govern-
ment to provide adequate services to all of its resi-
dents. Fourteen percent of families live below the
poverty level, and the unemployment rate is 9.2
percent. Through its Municipal Land Regulatory Plan,
Caguas is committed to redeveloping its urban core as
a major historic site and tourist and commercial area.
Assessment of brownfields throughout the municipality
is expected to help identify sites with opportunities for
cleanup and redevelopment.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the Municipality of Caguas for
two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous
substances grant funds will be used to inventory
sites, conduct seven Phase I and five Phase II
environmental site assessments, and support
community outreach throughout the municipality.
Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform the
same tasks at sites with potential petroleum
contamination.
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 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4309
http://www.epa.gov/region2/brownfields

Grant Recipient: Municipality of Caguas, PR
787-653-8833

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.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA 560-F-08-044
                        April 2008
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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