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Brownfields 2003
Grant Fact Sheet
Rhode Island Economic
Development Corporation,
Providence and Pawtucket, Rl
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
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 con-
taminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W.
Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief
and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the
Brownfields 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 Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation,
in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of
Environmental Management, was selected to receive a
revolving loan fund grant. Coalition partners are the
Rhode Island Industrial Facilities Corporation and the
Cities of Providence and Pawtucket. Providence
(population 174,000) is a federally designated Enterprise
Community and a state-designated Enterprise Zone. It
is the second largest city in New England and the fastest
growing city in the Northeast. The median family
income in Providence is two-thirds of the state median,
and 24 percent of residents live in poverty. The
brownfields target areas include neighborhoods where
unemployment is around 20 percent and where more
than 70 percent of residents are minorities. The revital-
ization projects planned by Providence include afford-
able mixed-income housing developments, a children's
"1
Revolving Loan Fund/New-
Grant
$2,000,000 for hazardous substances
$1,000,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Rhode Island Economic
Development Corporation for a revolving loan
fund grant. Coalition partners are the Rhode
Island Industrial Facilities Corporation and the
Cities of Providence and Pawtucket. The grant
will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund
from which the Economic Development Corpora-
tion will provide loans and subgrants to conduct
cleanup activities. Potential sites being considered
for cleanup and redevelopment include former mill
sites, former steel sites, dry-cleaning facilities, and
dump sites in Providence and Pawtucket. These
sites are known to have been contaminated by
such substances as metals, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), and petroleum.
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 at: www.epa.gov/
brownfields.
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1210
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Rhode Island Economic Devel-
opment Corporation 401-222-2601 x!04
Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the
Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation has
received brownfields funding for assessment and revolving
loan fund grants.
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been
negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet
are subject to change.
services center, and commercial facilities. Pawtucket
(population 74,000) is one of the most densely populated
cities in the state. Nearly 31 percent of Pawtucket
residents are minorities. Revitalization projects planned
by Pawtucket would bring much needed recreational,
social, and educational resources to the community.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA500-F-03-169
June 2003
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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