i Q \ Brownfields 2007 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet / Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire, Great Barrington, MA 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. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields 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 Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located along the Housatonic River in southern Berkshire County, the Town of Great Barrington (population 7,527) has an immediate need for affordable housing. A demand for second homes in the area has made housing unaffordable for many year-round residents who live and work in the community. The average sales price of a house in southern Berkshire County has more than doubled in six years to $481,330 in 2006. Median household and family incomes in Great Barrington and Berkshire County are lower than in the rest of Massachusetts. MassDevelopment, the state economic development agency, has designated the cleanup site as one of five priority brownfield sites in the state. Once cleanup is complete, the site will be redeveloped with affordable housing units. Brownfields redevelopment will create new jobs and increase public access to the Housatonic River, an important natural and recreational asset for the Town of Great Barrington. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the eight-acre New England Log Home site located at 100 Bridge Street in the Town of Great Barrington. Contamination includes dioxins, heavy metals, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The site was first used as a textile mill in 1894 and manufactured log home components from 1971-1993. 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/region 1 /brownfields) Grant Recipient: Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire,MA (413) 528-7788 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 c Environmental anri Fmpflpn™ EPA 560-F-07-157 nil- a ancl Emergency .. Protection Agency Response (5105T) MaV07 Washington, DC 20450 ^ v ' ------- |