Brownfields 2004 Assessment Grant Fact  Sheet
              Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
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 Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
Southern Maine has a population of 198,800 and is part
of a federal Economic Development District. Southern
Maine's rich industrial heritage, particularly in the
textile industry, has resulted in the loss of over 17,000
manufacturing jobs over the past decade, a seven
percent unemployment rate in some communities, and
limited job growth. Redevelopment of priority sites in
Biddeford, Parsonsfield, and Saco have stalled due to
environmental concerns. Site assessments and cleanup
planning are needed to move these and other
brownfields to redevelopment, which is expected to
revitalize local communities, create affordable housing,
and combat sprawl that is quickly consuming local
resources and destroying Southern Maine's unique
heritage.
                  Assessment Grant

                  $200,000 for hazardous substances

                  EPA has selected the Southern Maine Regional
                  Planning Commission for a brownfields assessment
                  grant. Grant funds will be used to inventory and
                  assess sites throughout the 39 communities served
                  by the commission, develop cleanup and reuse
                  plans, and promote community involvement. Priority
                  for Phase I and II assessments will be given to a
                  former foundry, two abandoned mills, and a former
                  lumber yard/wood processing plant.

                  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: Southern Maine Regional
                   Planning Commission
                   Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
                   (207) 324-2952

                   Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
                   (207) 324-2952

                   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-04-202
        Jun 04

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