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 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

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