Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Middlesex County Improvement Authority, NJ 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. In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help states and communities around the country cleanup and revitalize brownfields sites. 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 Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) was selected to receive a brownfields assessment coalition grant. The MCIA's coalition partners are the City of Perth Amboy and the Township of Woodbridge. Located west of Staten Island, Middlesex County (population 786,971) has a long industrial and manufacturing history. Large portions of Perth Amboy's waterfront, situated along Raritan Bay and the Arthur Kill, were tied to boat and rail shipping, heavy manufacturing, and coal and petroleum distribution. Woodbridge is located just north of Perth Amboy. From the 1960s through the 1980s, both municipalities experienced a decline in manufacturing and related industries. Both have significant numbers of underused properties and suspected environmental concerns. At least 47 sites in Perth Amboy and 93 parcels in Woodbridge are on New Jersey's Known Contaminated Sites List. In Perth Amboy, 70 percent of residents are Hispanic, and 14.3 percent of families live below the poverty level. Brownfield assessments will identify contaminated areas and help facilitate site cleanup. Assessment Grant $1,000,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Middlesex County Improvement Authority for a brownfields assessment coalition grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory brownfields and conduct environmental site assessments at a minimum of five sites in the City of Perth Amboy and the Township of Woodbridge. Grant funds also will be used to support community education and outreach 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 (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 2 Brownfields Team (212) 637-4358 EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region2/brownfields) Grant Recipient: Middlesex County Improvement Authority ,NJ (609) 409-5002 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 560-F-09-031 May 09 ------- |