Brownfields 2010 Cleanup Grant  Fact Sheet
               Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts,  Worcester, MA
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 Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts was
selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The
target site is in Worcester (population 175,454), which
is located at the head of the Blackstone Canal. The
canal is widely considered to be the birthplace of the
Industrial Revolution, but has since been buried beneath
the city"s streets. A steady national decline in
manufacturing has left the city with vacant mill
buildings that have negatively impacted the local
economy. The Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection has identified more than
1,200 brownfield sites in Worcester. In the target site
area, more than 19 percent of residents live below the
poverty level, nearly 26 percent of residents  are
minorities, and the median family income in 2009 was
30 percent below the national average. Cleanup of the
target site will reduce health risks to the community.
After the site is cleaned up, the Federation plans to
redevelop it with office or small-scale manufacturing
space, which is expected to create jobs and increase tax
revenues.
                   Cleanup Grant

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances

                   EPA has selected the Jewish Federation of Central
                   Massachusetts for a brownfields cleanup grant.
                   Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                   clean up the 13 Hope Avenue site in Worcester. The
                   site has had a variety of uses, including the
                   manufacture and finishing of aluminum parts and
                   textiles treatment, but has been vacant since 2006.
                   Site soil and groundwater are contaminated with
                   chlorinated hydrocarbons.

                   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: Jewish Federation of Central
                   Massachusetts
                   (508) 791-4744

                   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-10-173
        Apr 10

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