A \ Brownfields 2009 Assessment and ,SBj Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Sanford, ME 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. In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed. 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 both laws in Fiscal Year 2009, 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 Town of Sanford was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant and two brownfields cleanup grants. Located along the Mousam River in southwestern Maine, Sanford (population 20,806) thrived from the late 1800s to the 1950s as a vibrant textile mill town. When the mills closed, more than 3,500 residents lost their jobs. Although the town was successful in recruiting new industry, most of this new industrial base relocated or closed by the 1990s. Today, the town's unemployment and poverty rates are consistently higher than county and state rates, and the median household income is significantly lower than the county median. Many of the large mills that surround the Mousam River are abandoned and deteriorated. There are more than 30 brownfields sites in downtown Sanford, many within the former Sanford Mills complex. Brownfield assessments will help the town determine the extent of contamination at priority sites, which is expected to remove one of the biggest obstacles to redevelopment. Cleanup of the two target sites will help decrease human exposure to hazardous substances and reduce contaminated runoff entering the Mousam River. When the sites are cleaned Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Town of Sanford for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to perform up to six Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments, and conduct cleanup planning and community outreach activities. Assessments will focus primarily in the areas around the old Mill Yard and Redevelopment Corridor of the town. Cleanup Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Town of Sanford for two brownfields cleanup grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the Sanford Mill site at 61 Washington Street. The site was built in 1915 as part of the Sanford Mills complex and has been used for the manufacture of fabrics, light bulbs, and plastic products. Investigations have identified elevated levels of semi-volatile organic compounds, PCBs, and benzo(a)pyrene at the site. Hazardous substances grant funds also will be used to clean up the Aerofab site at 3 Aerofab Drive. The site was built in the late 1880s as part of the Sanford Mills complex and has had various uses, including a dye house and an amphibious aircraft manufacturing facility. Site soil is contaminated with volatile organic compounds. Grant funds from both grants also will be used to conduct community involvement activities. Contacts For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-09-046 May 2009 ------- up, the town plans to construct 36 housing units on the Sanford Mill complex. news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team (617)918-1424 EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/regionl/bro wnfields) Grant Recipient: Town of Sanford,ME (207) 324-9150 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-09-046 May 2009 ------- |