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Brownfields 2004
Grant Fact Sheet
Jackson County, 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, 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
Jackson County was selected to receive a brownfields
assessment grant. Jackson County (population 158,422)
is composed of one city, 19 townships, and seven
villages. Since the mid-1800s, Jackson's geographically
centered rail system served as a transit hub for indus-
try. Manufacturers took advantage of the ready
transportation by locating facilities in Jackson. In the
early 1980s, high business costs drove many manufac-
turers from the area, leaving behind abandoned and
potentially contaminated sites, and causing a major
decline in the area population. Many of the county's
rural areas have elevated poverty levels, including one
as high as 18.7 percent. The unemployment rate in the
county is typically higher than the state rate. The
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected Jackson County to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be
used to perform up to ten Phase I assessments,
eight Phase II assessments, and eight baseline
environmental assessments. Grant funds also will
be used to develop brownfield plans for up to
eight sites.
Contacts
For further information, including specific grant
contacts, additional grant information, brownfields
news and events, and publications and links, visit
the EPA Brownfields website at: www.epa.gov/
brownfields.
EPA Region 5 Brownfields Team
312-886-7576
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Jackson County, MI
517-788-4455
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
county's chief priority is to redevelop sites in the
smaller, economically challenged communities. This
assessment grant will build on the successes of previ-
ous brownfields assessment activities in this commu-
nity.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-04-064
June 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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