\ Brownfields 2010 Revolving Loan Fund Grant < Fact Sheet ***лл* Northwest Regional Planning Commission, Northwest Vermont 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 Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) was selected to receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The NRPC serves 23 municipalities in rural Franklin and Grand Isle Counties (combined population 55,678) on the Canadian border of Vermont. Historically, railroad access in northwest Vermont attracted manufacturing businesses to the area"s towns and villages. However, the manufacturing industry has declined, leaving a legacy of vacant and contaminated properties. The NRPC has identified more than 30 brownfield sites throughout the region. Most are landfills, former manufacturing facilities, and power generation plants with known or potential contamination that businesses are reluctant to redevelop. Per capita income in the region lags behind state and national levels, and local municipalities are challenged to fund even essential services. Brownfield cleanups conducted through the RLF grant will focus on blighted properties that are primarily in economically disadvantaged areas and are expected to help bring brownfields back to productive reuse. Revolving Loan Fund Grant $1,000,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Northwest Regional Planning Commission for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the Northwest Regional Planning Commission will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Grant funds also will be used for marketing and management of the 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 (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: Northwest Regional Planning Commission,VT 802-524-5958 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-10-034 April 2010 ------- |