Brownfields 2011 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
               Belfast, ME
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 City of Belfast was selected to receive two
brownfields assessment grants. Belfast (population 6,381)
is in central Maine on the Penobscot Bay. In the mid-20th
century, Belfast had prosperous shoe manufacturing,
fishing, poultry, and shipbuilding industries. However,
economic changes and the  rerouting of a major road
around the city resulted in economic decline and job
losses in these industries. Many former industrial
properties are now abandoned and have unknown
environmental conditions. About 100 brownfield sites
have been identified in the city, many of which are in the
targeted downtown waterfront district. The city's poverty
and unemployment rates are higher than state and
national averages. Brownfield assessments will help the
city identify environmental and health risks associated
with potential contamination. Eventual site cleanup and
redevelopment are expected to encourage new businesses
to relocate to the city.
                     Assessment Grants

                     $200,000 for hazardous substances
                     $200,000 for petroleum

                     EPA has selected the City of Belfast for two
                     brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                     hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                     update an inventory of brownfield sites and
                     conduct up to five Phase I and at least three Phase
                     II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant
                     funds will be used to update an inventory of
                     brownfield sites and conduct up to seven Phase I
                     and five Phase II environmental site assessments.
                     Grant funds also will be used to conduct cleanup
                     planning, community outreach activities, and
                     area-wide planning.
                     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: City of Belfast,ME
                     207-338-3370 ext 16

                     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-128-012
       May 2011

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