Brownfields  2009 Assessment Grant Fact  Sheet
               Huron County, Ml
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

Huron County was selected to receive two brownfields
assessment grants. Located on the shores of Lake Huron
and Saginaw Bay at the tip of Michigan's thumb, Huron
County (population 33,290) has land use dominated by
agriculture.  Historically, manufacturing was the
foundation of the county's economy and accounted for
nearly 30 percent of all county jobs. However,  since
2000, 29 manufacturing businesses  have closed, costing
nearly 1,400 jobs. The decline in manufacturing has
contributed to an eight percent decline in the county's
population. The unemployment rate now exceeds 10
percent. Michigan has reported 67 known contaminated
properties in the county, excluding the 29 manufacturers
that closed recently. The county estimates that more than
100 additional brownfields have yet to be identified.
Assessment of brownfields is expected to catalyze site
cleanup and redevelopment, which  in turn is expected to
attract businesses, create jobs, and preserve existing
farmland.
                     Assessment Grants

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

                     EPA has selected Huron County for two
                     brownfields assessment grants. Community-wide
                     hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
                     inventory and prioritize brownfields and conduct
                     up to 10 Phase I and 6 Phase II environmental site
                     assessments. Grant funds also will be used for
                     cleanup planning and community involvement
                     activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to
                     conduct the same tasks at sites with potential
                     petroleum contamination.
                     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: Huron County,MI
                     (989)269-6431

                     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-09-154
      May 2009

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