Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Maquoketa, IA RECOUERY.GOV EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders 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 February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description The City of Maquoketa was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Maquoketa (population 5,917), a small municipality, is the county seat for Jackson County. The city and county have experienced an economic downturn. Maquoketa's population has been declining since 2000. Average unemployment rates are significantly higher in Jackson County than in the state or nation. The cleanup site is in the heart of the downtown area and covers more than a third of a city block. The contaminated rubble at the site represents the remains of the three burned businesses that once operated there. Cleanup of the site will help reduce threats to human health and the environment, and allow the city to move forward with its reuse plans. The city is in discussion with a national chain to bring a retail operation to the site, and intends to embark on a streetscape that will add greenspace to downtown Maquoketa. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected the City of Maquoketa for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the South Main Street Redevelopment site at 129-141 S. Main Street. The site had been used for retail businesses since the late 1800s and is contaminated with inorganic substances. The structures on the site were destroyed by fire in 2008. Grant funds will be used to remove and dispose of contaminated materials. 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 (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 7 Brownfields Team (800) 223-0425 EPA Region 7 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brown fields) Grant Recipient: City of Maquoketa,IA (563) 652-2484 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-09-212 May 09 ------- |