I Brownfields 2015 Area-Wide Planning Grant Fact Sheet * Lawrence, MA PRQ1^ 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 clean up and revitalize brownfields sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through competitive grant programs for brownfields site assessment, site cleanup, revolving loan funds, area-wide planning, and job training. Additional funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Program EPA's Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Program assists communities in responding to local brownfields challenges, particularly where multiple brownfield sites are in close proximity, connected by infrastructure, and limit the economic, environmental and social prosperity of their surroundings. This program enhances EPA's core brownfields assistance programs by providing grant funding to communities so they can perform the research needed to develop an area-wide plan and implementation strategies for brownfields assessment, cleanup, and reuse. The resulting area-wide plans provide direction for future brownfields area improvements that are protective of public health and the environment, economically viable, and reflective of the community's vision for the area. Project Description $200,000.00 EPA has selected the City of Lawrence as a Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant recipient. The city will work with the community and other stakeholders to develop an area-wide plan and implementation strategy to revitalize the Manchester Lawrence Rail Road (MLRR) corridor, a densely populated area characterized by poverty and minority rates that are higher than state and national averages. The MLRR dissects the northwest area of the city. Consisting of 7.5 acres of land throughout its 1.4-mile length, the rail line has potential for redevelopment to address economic, environmental, public health, and safety concerns. The proposed Area-Wide Planning project will target the MLRR catalyst site, an area with potential for redevelopment into open space and recreational areas that will be sparked through the connection of regional trails to and from the area. Key partners who will work with the city on this project include Groundwork Lawrence, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, and Lawrence Redevelopment Authority. 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)918-1278 EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site (https: //www. epa. go v/bro wnfields/brownfie lds-and-land-revitalization-connecticut- maine-massachusetts-new-hampshire-rhode# pane-1 ) Grant Recipient: City of Lawrence, MA (317)776-6345 Hie 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. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-15-003 March 2015 ------- Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States _ . w__tp Environmental EPA 560-F-15-003 Protection Agency KSSt, M,rdl2015 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (Si us ) ------- |