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  ' iMy ]    Brownfields 2011 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet
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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 Village of Romeoville was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Romeoville (population
37,997)  is a small community located about 30 miles
southwest of Chicago. Manufacturing facilities
comprise almost half the village's land. During the
recent economic downturn, the village experienced a
significant decline in its manufacturing base. Along the
village's 1-55 corridor, 34 percent of industrial space is
vacant. The village contains at least 24 brownfields.
Between 2000 and 2010, the unemployment rate in
Romeoville increased by more than six percent. At the
same time, the village's population grew by 44 percent.
This population increase has created a strain on the
amount of funding available to clean up the target site.
When the target site is cleaned up, the village plans to
include it in redevelopment plans for the downtown
area, which call for office and retail space and a
community center. Redevelopment of the downtown
area is expected to attract new businesses and increase
property values.
                   Cleanup Grant

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances

                   EPA has selected the Village of Romeoville for a
                   brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
                   grant funds will be used to clean up the Spartans'
                   Square Shopping Center site at 7 Terrace Lane. Soils
                   at the site are contaminated with volatile organic
                   compounds from spills at a former dry cleaning
                   operation on the site. Local groundwater is
                   contaminated with heavy metals. Grant funds also
                   will be used to conduct community outreach
                   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: Village of Romeoville,IL
                   815-886-0279

                   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-128-069
         May 11

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