I 'O UJ O Brownfields 2004 Grant Fact Sheet Cranston, Rl 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, the President 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. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response pro- grams through a separate mechanism. Community Description The City of Cranston was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Like many other New England cities, Cranston (population 79,269) has a long, rich industrial history. Unfortunately, past industrial activity has left behind a legacy of underutilized, vacant sites that have blighted the community and pose potential problems for redevelopment. At the same time, very few greenfields are available for develop- ment. Between 1990 and 2000, the percentage of the city's minority population more than doubled, from 5 to 11 percent, and the number of individuals living below the poverty level increased by 15.3 percent. This grant will provide Cranston, a financially challenged city, with the information needed by prospective developers to proceed with redevelopment. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Cranston for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct a city-wide brownfields inventory, prioritize sites, perform several Phase I and II environmental site assessments, and create a public involvement program. 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 617-918-1221 http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/ Grant Recipient: Cranston, RI 401-780-3166 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-04-038 June 2004 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |