Brownfields 2009 Revolving Loan Fund Grant
Fact Sheet
***лл* Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
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 Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
(SMRPC) was selected to receive a brownfields revolving
loan fund grant. The SMRPC serves 39 communities in
York, Cumberland, and Oxford Counties (combined
population 186,000) in southern Maine. The region's rich
industrial heritage, particularly in the textile industry,
dates back to the late 1800s. The decline in manufacturing
has resulted in the loss of more than 17,000
manufacturing jobs during the past decade. In 2008, at
least two major manufacturing plants announced that they
would close. These closures are expected to result in about
425 lost jobs and 500,000 square feet of vacant facilities.
The SMRPC has identified more than 300 hazardous
substances and 200 petroleum sites in the region, most of
which are located in or near downtown areas. The poverty
and unemployment rates in the surrounding communities
are generally higher than the regional rates. Brownfield
cleanups conducted through the RLF grant will reduce
contamination and blight in the area, and are expected to
attract redevelopment opportunities and deter sprawl.
Revolving Loan Fund Grant
$1,000,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Southern Maine Regional
Planning Commission for a brownfields revolving
loan fund grant. The grant will be used to
capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the
Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
will provide loans and subgrants to support
cleanup activities for sites contaminated with
hazardous substances. The Commission
anticipates awarding three loans and two
subgrants. Grant funds will be used to conduct
cleanup planning and oversight, and 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 1 Brownfields Team
(617)918-1424
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/regionl/bro wnfields)
Grant Recipient: Southern Maine Regional
Planning Commission
(207) 324-2952
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-09-070
May 2009
------- |