Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Ml 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 Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Located in southern Michigan approximately halfway between Lake Michigan and Detroit, the City of Albion (population 9,104) began as an agrarian village but had changed into a heavy manufacturing hub by World War I. The city's neighborhoods evolved around industrial facilities. By the 1980s, the heavy manufacturing industry was in decline, and further downsizing and the decline of the automobile industry significantly impacted the industrial employers remaining in Albion. The unemployment rate has tripled since 2000, and the median household income is $30,245. The city is now littered with abandoned industrial brownfields. Many brownfields are located in the western half of the city in low-income and minority communities. Brownfield assessments will allow the city to identify the presence and extent of contamination and are expected to facilitate eventual site cleanup and reuse. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct three Phase I and two Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community outreach activities, a brownfields inventory, and cleanup planning. 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: Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority,MI (517)629-3926 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) E PA 560-F-128-079 May 11 ------- |