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              Museum L-A, Lewiston, ME
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

Museum L-A was selected to receive a brownfields
cleanup grant. Museum L-A's mission is to serve the
needs of the communities of Lewiston and Auburn
(combined population 58,973). Lewiston and Auburn
are connected by a series of bridges that span the
Androscoggin River. Since 1850, textile mills in
Lewiston and shoe manufacturers in Auburn drove the
economies of these twin cities. Most manufacturing
operations in the area have closed and left behind
vacant and blighted facilities. A preliminary inventory
by Lewiston found more than 50 potential brownfields.
The targeted Camden Yarns Mill Building is  in the
center of the downtown area, in a federally designated
Rural Enterprise Community where the individual
poverty rate is 41.8 percent. Once the target site is
cleaned up, Museum L-A plans to redevelop the
property as new museum space. The museum will
educate  area residents and visitors about the history  of
textile and shoe manufacturing, and engage them in
workshops and interactive programs. Redevelopment
plans also include 16,800  square feet of greenspace.
                                                  Cleanup Grant

                                                  $200,000 for hazardous substances

                                                  EPA has selected Museum L-A for a brownfields
                                                  cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will
                                                  be used to clean up the Camden Yarns Mill Building
                                                  at 1  Beech Street. From 1939 to 1992, the site
                                                  produced and shipped yarn products. Contaminants
                                                  of concern include metals and inorganic materials.
                                                  Grant funds also will be used to support community
                                                  involvement 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 1 Brownfields Team
                                                  (617)918-1424
                                                  EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site
                                                  (http: //www. epa.gov/region 1 /brownfields)

                                                  Grant Recipient: Museum L-A,ME
                                                  (207)333-3881

                                                  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-09-264
        May 09

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