United States
                       Environmental
                       Protection Agency
                       Washington, D.C. 20460
  Solid Waste
  and Emergency
  Response (5105)
EPA 500-F-01-245
April 2001
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
 <>EPA      Brownfields  Cleanup
                       Revolving  Loan   Fund   Pilot
                                                                               Orono, ME
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
                       Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders
in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for
redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $250,000 over two
years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup
of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, brownfields cleanup revolving
loan  fund (BCRLF) programs (each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years), to provide financial assistance for the
environmental cleanup of brownfields.  These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and
communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to
site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND

During the last half of the twentieth century,  the
number of traditional heavy industry manufacturing
jobs in Maine has steadily declined.   The Town of
Orono  experienced this loss with the closing of the
Striar Textile Mill on Ayers Island in 1996. The closing
of this mill led to the loss  of 300 jobs. Significant
environmental remediation is needed to bring Ayers
Island, which is uninhabited, back to productive use.
Redevelopment  of this  62-acre island  will create
needed jobs and serve as a critical catalyst in advancing
the economy of the town. Orono's most distressed
neighborhood  is near Ayers Island and contains the
homes of many of the Striar Textile  Mill's former
employees.

BCRLF OBJECTIVES

The Orono BCRLF seeks to clean up brownfields on
Ayers  Island,  and  return  the  island  to  an
environmentally  sound,   publicly   accessible,
aesthetically inviting, and economically productive site.
Ultimately, the objective is to create 200 jobs and allow
100,000 visitors to engage in one of several activities
planned for the island.

A prominent local developer has expressed interest in
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Orono, ME
Contacts:
     Orono Town
      Manager
    (207) 866-2556
                         Date of Announcement:
                         April 2001


                         Amount: $500,000

                         BCRLF Target Area:
                         Ayers Island
 Region 1 Brownfields
   Coordinator
  (617)918-1210
    Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at:
         www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional
 Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications
     and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
            www.epa.gov/brownfields

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replacing the old mill with a modern, high-tech, "non-
smokestack" manufacturing facility. This project will
create new, well-paying jobs in Orono. The University
of Maine, which is located in Orono, will partner with
the developer in this effort. This partnership will aim to
carry the results of university research into commercial
development. The redevelopment of Ayers Island will
also  include  nature  trails, a conference  center, a
sculpture garden, and a Science/Advanced Technology
Museum.

An  EPA Targeted Brownfields Assessment of the
brownfields on Ayers Island is currently underway. The
Town plans to make  a BCRLF loan available to the
local   developer  soon   after  the  environmental
assessment is complete.

FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS

The Town of Orono will serve as the lead agency and
fund manager. The site manager will be provided by the
Site Assessment  and  Support  Services Unit of the
Division of Remediation, Bureau  of Remediation &
Waste Management, which is a division of the Maine
Department of Environmental Protection.

It is anticipated that it will  take two years to clean up
the contaminated properties, renovate  a portion of the
structure, and attract an anchor tenant to Ayers Island.
LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES

To encourage development, the Town has waived
the back taxes and fees due from the Ayers Island
property. Furthermore, the Maine  Department of
Transportation  will replace  the bridge  to Ayers
Island,  which  is  estimated  to cost more than
$3,000,000. The Town has also applied to the State
to have certain land areas become part  of a Tax
Incentive Financing District.
 Use oj'BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with
 CERCLA,  and all CERCLA restrictions on use of
funding also apply to BCRLF funds.
Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
April 2001	
                                       Orono, ME
                                 EPA 500-F-01-245

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