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 Brownfields  2003

 Grant  Fact Sheet

   Downriver  Community

Conference,  Southeast Ml


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. Addition-
ally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The Downriver Community Conference was selected to
receive an assessment grant.  The conference represents
a consortium often municipalities and provides an
established mechanism for sharing expertise and grant
funds to help smaller communities in southeast Michigan
deal with their brownfields. None of the member commu-
nities have a population greater than 98,000 people.
Member communities range from older urban cities with
heavy industry and numerous brownfields to suburban
communities with fewer industrial sites. All of the
member communities have numerous sites potentially
contaminated by petroleum. Assessment of petroleum
sites is expected to reduce health risks, encourage reuse
of brownfields, and strengthen local economies.  The
conference plans to assist member communities with
involving residents in planning for redevelopment.
                                                 Assessment Grant
                                                                 £003
                                 $200,000 for petroleum

                                 EPA has selected the Downriver Community
                                 Conference for a brownfields assessment grant.
                                 The conference, which operates under the
                                 control of the state, represents a consortium of
                                 ten municipalities that all have numerous
                                 brownfields potentially contaminated with
                                 petroleum. Grant funds will be used to conduct
                                 Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments
                                 of priority sites. Grant funds also will be used
                                 conduct 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 at:
                                 www.epa.gov/brownfields.

                                 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Team
                                 312-886-7576
                                 http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

                                 Grant Recipient: Downriver Community Confer-
                                 ence, MI
                                 734-362-3477

                                 Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the
                                 Downriver Community Conference has received funding for
                                 assessment grants.

                                 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)
                                                       EPA 500-F-03-083
                                                       June 2003
                                                       www.epa.gov/brownfields

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