\ Brownfields 2011 Assessment and Revolving Loan Fund Grant Fact Sheet Bear Paiv Development Corporation of Northern Montana 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 Bear Paw Development Corporation of Northern Montana was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants and a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The Bear Paw Development Corporation plans to focus on five counties (population 33,976) in north-central Montana, where there are an estimated 275 leaking underground storage tank sites, eight reported methamphetamine labs, and numerous abandoned mines. Agriculture has historically been the strongest industry in this region, but the agricultural industry has declined by 18 percent over the last 30 years, and many family farms have failed. Median household incomes in the five-county region are lower than the state and national averages, and 18.7 percent of residents live below the poverty level. Almost 24 percent of residents are Native Americans. Assessment of brownfields will help to alleviate uncertainty about sites, and facilitate site cleanup and redevelopment. Cleanup and redevelopment conducted through the RLF grant are expected to revitalize communities by reducing health risks associated with contamination, increasing tax revenues, and encouraging interest in property investment. The Corporation plans to redevelop some sites as greenspace and a park for residents. Assessment Grants $200,000 for hazardous substances $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the Bear Paw Development Corporation of Northern Montana for two brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to perform six Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform six Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop cleanup plans and support community outreach activities. Revolving Loan Fund Grant $600,000 for hazardous substances $400,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the Bear Paw Development Corporation of Northern Montana for a brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the Bear Paw Development Corporation of Northern Montana will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with hazardous substances and petroleum. Grant funds will be used for marketing, management, and 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 8 Brownfields Team (303)312-7074 EPA Region 8 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region8/bro wnfields) United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-128-109 May 2011 ------- Grant Recipient: Bear Paw Development Corporation of Northern Montana 406-265-9226 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-128-109 May 2011 ------- |