•    Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact  Sheet
               Janesville,  Wl
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 City of Janesville was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Janesville (population
63,436)  is an industrial community in south-central
Wisconsin. The city developed as a center of industry
and commerce, especially in the downtown area along
the Rock River. The river provided water power and
market access. During the 20th century, the industrial
base broadened to serve national markets. Globalization
and economic downturns have resulted  in the shuttering
of long-standing industries, ancillary operations, and
associated jobs. City properties have become vacant
and tax-delinquent. Since March 2008, the city has lost
an estimated 6,000 jobs, or 17 percent of its workforce.
Unemployment rates for the past two years have ranged
from 10.5 to 15.5 percent. There are an estimated 144
brownfields in the  city that present potential threats to
public health and hinder economic revitalization
efforts. Brownfield assessments will provide vital
knowledge to guide cleanup efforts and feasible
redevelopment alternatives, and help leverage
additional resources for Janesville's brownfields
program.
                   Assessment Grants

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances
                   $200,000 for petroleum

                   EPA has selected the City of Janesville for two
                   brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                   hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                   conduct at least five Phase I and at least three Phase
                   II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant
                   funds will be used to conduct at least five Phase I
                   and at least five Phase II environmental site
                   assessments. Grant funds also will be used to
                   inventory brownfield sites in four priority areas, and
                   conduct community involvement and health
                   monitoring 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 5 Brownfields Team
                   (312)886-7576
                   EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site
                   (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields)

                   Grant Recipient: City of Janesville,WI
                   608-755-3095

                   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-128-131
         May 11

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