\    Brownfields  2011  Assessment Grant Fact  Sheet
               Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Franklin County,
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 Franklin Regional Council of Governments was
selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
Franklin County (population 71,778) is in western
Massachusetts in a region transected by the Connecticut,
Deerfield, and Millers Rivers. Historically, industry and
agriculture drove the county's economy because of the
proximity to the rivers and fertile farmland of the
Connecticut River Valley. Post-industrial use has left
behind a legacy of 80 identified brownfields in the county,
many of which are in town centers and along the banks of
the three rivers. About 50 percent of county residents rely
on private drinking water wells, which may be threatened
by brownfields. At least 16 identified brownfields are
within 100 feet of critical habitats for threatened or
endangered species. The Deerfield River provides habitat
to the endangered shortnose sturgeon. Brownfield
assessments will help the Council identify potential risks
to the public and the environment, and serve as an initial
step toward the cleanup and restoration of critical habitats
and river-related resources.
                     Assessment Grant

                     $200,000 for hazardous substances

                     EPA has selected the Franklin Regional Council of
                     Governments for a brownfields assessment grant.
                     Community-wide hazardous substances grant
                     funds will be used to update inventories and maps
                     of brownfield sites and to conduct eight Phase I
                     and two or three Phase II environmental site
                     assessments. Grant funds also will be used to
                     support community outreach activities and
                     develop one or two cleanup plans.
                     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: Franklin Regional Council of
                     Governments,MA
                     (413)774-H94extl05

                     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)
E PA 560-F-128-009
       May 2011

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