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 Brownfields  2003

 Grant  Fact Sheet

 Southwest Region Planning

        Commission,  NH


 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. Abrownfield 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. 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. Addi-
tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.

 Community  Description

The Southwest Region Planning Commission was
selected to receive an assessment grant. The South-
west Region is comprised of 36 municipalities in three
counties that border Massachusetts to the south and
Vermont to the west. The majority of these  municipali-
ties are former industrial areas. The total population of
the Southwest Region is 98,538. Six of the municipali-
ties in the region have poverty rates greater than 10
percent. Since 2001, the region has lost more than 540
jobs due to plant closings. Many of the municipalities in
the region have only one or two employers, and many
residents have to commute elsewhere to work.
                                 Assessment Grant
                                 $200,000 for hazardous substances *
                                 EPA has selected the Southwest Region Planning
                                 Commission for a brownfields assessment grant.
                                 Grant funds will be used to develop a brownfields
                                 inventory and to conduct up to 15 Phase I and II
                                 site assessments within 35 of the region's 36
                                 municipalities. The inventory will focus on
                                 municipalities with established downtown districts
                                 that have industrial histories. The sites to be
                                 assessed will be determined upon completion of
                                 the inventory.
                                 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: Southwest Region Planning
                                 Commission, NH
                                 630-357-0557

                                 Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the
                                 Southwest Region Planning Commission has not received
                                 brownfields grant funding.

                                 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been
                                 negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet
                                 are subject to change.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                                                      EPA500-F-03-188
                                                      June 2003
                                                      www.epa.gov/brownfields

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