HI
                            C3
 Brownfields  2003

 Grant  Fact  Sheet

       l/1/estoroo/c,  ME



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 City of Westbrook was selected to receive a
revolving loan fund grant. Founded in 1816, this former
mill town is an urban-suburban community with
underused commercial, industrial, and residential areas
complemented by patches of farmland and open space
along the Presumpscot River. The closure of a major
pulp and paper mill has decimated the city's tax base
and significantly reduced employment opportunities.
The city is working to redevelop neighborhoods that
are predominantly low-to-moderate income, in which
there is a predominance of single-parent and senior
residents. Redevelopment of the targeted areas,
together with the abandoned paper mill, will provide
jobs, remove eyesores from the central urban core, and
create incentives for younger residents to remain
within the community.
Revolving Loan Fund
Grant
$900,000 for hazardous substances

EPA has selected the City of Westbrook for a
brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant
will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund
with which the city will provide loans and
subgrants to conduct cleanup activities. The city
plans to focus the grant on several projects
including the transformation of abandoned mill
and electric-repair facilities into a modern office
complex, and the redevelopment of an aban-
doned tire  retreading plant into an urban gateway
commercial development.
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 Westbrook, ME
207-854-9105

Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City
of Westbrook has received brownfields 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)
                      EPA500-F-03-215
                      June 2003
                      www.epa.gov/brownfields

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