SB, HI C3 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 ------- |