^    Brownfields 2010 Assessment Grant  Fact Sheet
                       f,PR
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. In
2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help
states and communities around the country cleanup and
revitalize brownfields sites. Under this 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 programs through
a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The Municipality of Camuy was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Camuy (population
35,244)  is a small rural town in northern Puerto Rico
bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The municipality was
founded in 1807 with an agriculturally based economy.
Several manufacturing plants were built during the
1960s. As a result of the closure of several
manufacturing plants and the associated loss of
hundreds of jobs, the municipality"s unemployment rate
has increased to 14.6 percent. The median household
income is about a third of the national average.
Brownfields in the municipality include a former sugar
mill, abandoned gas stations, former shoe and clothing
factories, and printing shops. The municipality has only
46.4  square miles of land area, and abandoned and
underused sites with real or perceived contamination
have discouraged redevelopment. Brownfield
assessments are expected to spur site cleanup and reuse,
which eventually are expected to increase employment
opportunities and preserve environmentally sensitive
areas.
                   Assessment Grants

                   $200,000 for hazardous substances
                   $200,000 for petroleum

                   EPA has selected the Municipality of Camuy for two
                   brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                   hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                   inventory brownfield sites and conduct six Phase I
                   and three Phase II environmental site assessments.
                   Petroleum grant funds will be used to inventory
                   brownfield sites and conduct seven Phase I and four
                   Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds
                   also will be used to support community outreach
                   activities.

                   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 2 Brownfields Team
                   (212) 637-3260
                   EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site
                   (http://www.epa.gov/region2/brownfields)

                   Grant Recipient: Municipality of Camuy,PR
                   787-262-7704

                   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)
EPA 560-F-10-050
        Apr 10

-------