\ Brownfields 2010 Revolving Loan Fund Grant Fact Sheet Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority 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 Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority was selected to receive a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. Michigan's (population 10,003,422) economic troubles began with a downturn during the 2001 recession and have continued as the auto industry has declined. Between 2006 and 2008, an average of 1,000 mass layoff events have occurred every year, most of which have signaled the closing of a facility and creation of a brownfield. Today, the state is left with the legacy of a century-old industrial economy, thousands of acres of abandoned and contaminated facilities, and thousands of deteriorating homes. The state has identified more than 12,000 contaminated properties, of which 7,000 are leaking underground storage tank sites. The unemployment rate is 15.2 percent, and 20.4 percent of state residents are minorities. Site cleanups undertaken with RLF loans are expected to support redevelopment of manufacturing sites for continued industrial operations, especially in green manufacturing, and create greenspace. Revolving Loan Fund Grant $1,000,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority will provide loans to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with hazardous substances. The Authority anticipates making three loans. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community involvement 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 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfiel ds) Grant Recipient: Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority 517-335-7810 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-10-106 April 2010 ------- |