Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Woonsocket, Rl RECOUERY.GOV 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 City of Woonsocket was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Woonsocket (population 43,224), located in northern Rhode Island, was once a regional center for the textile manufacturing industry. Mills and factories were concentrated along the banks of the Blackstone River within the city's densely populated urban core. With the loss of manufacturing operations, these former mills and factories now stand vacant, and many are adjacent to housing. There are over 320 brownfields throughout the city that are adversely affecting the environment, human health, and the city's economy. The unemployment rate in the city is 10 percent. Cleanup of the Lafayette Worsted Company Office Buildings is a critical part of a larger redevelopment plan being implemented by the city to replace a 20-acre industrial brownfield with a new middle school campus. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected the City of Woonsocket for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the former Lafayette Worsted Company Office Buildings at 150 Hamlet Avenue. The site is a former textile mill and manufacturing facility contaminated with metals and semi-volatile organic compounds co-mingled with petroleum products. 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: City of Woonsocket,RI (401)767-1418 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-09-134 May 09 ------- |