I I HI C3 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 ------- |