HI C3 Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet Gardner, MA 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 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 City of Gardner was selected to receive an assessment grant. Gardner (population 21,000) is a small, blue-collar community located in central Massa- chusetts, 59 miles northwest of Boston. The general decline in Massachusetts' manufacturing sector has hit Gardner particularly hard because nearly a third of the city's jobs are in manufacturing. The city's median family income is lower than state and county averages, and Gardner's poverty rate is higher than the state average. The state of Massachusetts has designated Gardner as a "Mini-Entitlement Community" and the city is part of the Northern Worcester County Regional Economic Target Area under the state's Economic Development Incentive Program. The city wants to continue work begun through participation in the Assessment Grant $100,000 for hazardous substances $ 100,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the City of Gardner for a brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum funds will be used to develop an inventory of petroleum sites in the city and conduct up to four Phase I, two Phase II, and one Phase III assessments on sites contaminated with petroleum. Hazardous substance funds will be used to update the city's brownfields site inventory, conduct community outreach, and conduct up to four Phase I, two Phase II, and one Phase III assessments on sites contaminated with hazardous substances. 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: City of Gardner, MA 978-630-4014 Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City of Gardner 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. Montaschusett Regional Brownfields Initiative's brownfields assessment pilot. Implementation of the city's strategy will increase assessment and remediation of brownfields in the downtown, industrial areas adjacent to the downtown, and former manufac- turing sites located in predominately residential neigh- borhoods. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 500-F-03-098 June 2003 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |