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Brownfields 2008
Grant Fact Sheet
North Adams, MA
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 North Adams was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located along the Hoosic
River in northwestern Massachusetts, North Adams
(population 14,691) was originally settled as amilitary
and trading post. The city became a mill town once
water power from the river was harnessed. After
World War II, the city's economy began to decline as
many key industries either closed or relocated. In 1985,
the city's remaining major industrial employer closed,
resulting in the loss of more than 4,000 jobs and
causing a major downturn in the city's economy. Since
then, the city has diversified and attracted new indus-
tries and commercial ventures to the area, but its
economy is still struggling to recover. North Adams is a
federally designated Empowerment Zone. More than
58 percent of residents are considered low-income, and
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of North Adams for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up the 1.9-acre
former Berkshire Tannery site on Ashton Avenue
in the Blackinton neighborhood. The site was used
for tannery operations from the early 1900s to the
1980s. Site soil and groundwater are contaminated
with metals and volatile organic compounds. Grant
funds also will be used to support community
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: City of North Adams, MA
413-662-3011
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.
the city's employment rates and per capita incomes
are below statewide rates. There are 92 known
hazardous release sites in North Adams. Once
cleanup of the target site is complete, the city antici-
pates redevelopment with residential housing or as
greenspace.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA560-F-08-016
April 2008
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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