• Brownfields 2003 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Warwick, Rl EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states. communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield 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 the Brownfields 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 Warwick was selected to receive an assessment grant. Warwick, the second largest city in Rhode Island, has a population of 86,000 and is a HUD entitlement community. The city has many low- to moderate-income areas. In some of these areas, up to 40 percent of residents have low to moderate incomes. The city is focusing on petroleum-contaminated brownfields in the Warwick Station Redevelopment District. Years of industrial uses, including petroleum-related activities, and a lack of investment has left the district in disrepair, with several vacant lots and abandoned residential homes. An inventory of selected sites in the redevelopment district will identify those properties needing cleanup. Redevelopment of selected properties will expand economic opportunities and spur private-sector investment in Warwick. While residents of the district do not have formal community organizations, they will be encouraged to participate in ongoing reuse decisions and development of a master plan for the area. Assessment Grant $150,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Warwick for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to inventory vacant and underused properties contaminated by petroleum in the Warwick Station Redevelopment District, conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments of priority sites, and involve the community in decisions on sustainable reuse of targeted sites. The District is targeted for redevelopment as the Warwick State Intermodal Facility. 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 (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team (617)918-1424 EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site (http: //www. epa.gov/region 1 /brownfields) Grant Recipient: City of Warwick, RI (401) 738-2000 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 negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 500-F-03-206 Jun 03 ------- |