Brownfields 2009 Assessment  Grant
    A  \
    SS2J    Fact Sheet
       *      Framingham, MA
                                                                          REC(M(H.GBV
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
February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed
into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to
jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of
jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the
Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and
clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under
this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to
eligible applicants through four competitive grant
programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund
grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants.

Community Description

The Town of Framingham was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Located 20 miles west of
Boston, Framingham (population 67,000) is the largest
town in Massachusetts.  The first industries in
Framingham produced textiles, and the downtown area
included a paper manufacturer and several automobile
facilities. The town's transition from  industry and
manufacturing has created brownfield sites that pose a
significant barrier to sustainable economic growth,
resulting in disinvestment. The target area includes
Framingham's downtown  and southeast areas,
especially sites affected by automotive activities.
Although manufacturing jobs still represent a
significant source of employment in the town, the
number of these jobs has declined from 14,888 in 1985
to just over 4, 100 jobs today. In the target areas, the
median income is about 70 percent of the town median.
Brownfield assessments will provide the community
with information about the extent of contamination at
these sites and are expected to set the stage for
revitalizing the town.
                                     Assessment Grant
                                     $200,000 for petroleum (Recovery Act
                                     Funding)

                                     EPA has selected the Town of Framingham for a
                                     brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide
                                     petroleum grant funds will be used to inventory
                                     brownfield sites and conduct up to 12 Phase I and 6
                                     Phase II environmental site assessments in
                                     downtown and southeast Framingham. Grant funds
                                     also will be used to support community 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 1 Brownfields Team
                                     (617)918-1424
                                     EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web  site
                                     (http: //www. epa.gov/region 1 /brownfields)

                                     Grant Recipient: Town of Framingham,MA
                                     (508)532-5455

                                     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)
EPA560-F-09-156
        May 09

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