/ D \ Brownfields 2000 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
1 <^4^ J North Adams, MA
EPA Brownfields Initiative
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.
Background
EPA has selected the City of North Adams for a
Brownfields Pilot. Located in the northwestern corner of
Massachusetts, the City of North Adams is a historical
mill town that began its industrial expansion in the 1820s
and 1830s. After World War II, many industries either
relocated from the city or ceased operations in the area.
The city was still able to maintain its economy until
1985, when the local electric company closed its doors.
The departure of the Sprague Electric Company resulted
in the loss of more than 4,000 jobs.
Since 1991, the city has diversified its economy,
attracting new industries and commercial ventures to the
area. A recent cornerstone of this activity is the
redevelopment of the 13-acre former Sprague Electric
Company site. In addition, the city is identifying other
abandoned and underutilized brownfields properties that
can be redeveloped and help the local economy. As part
of this effort, the city has targeted three brownfields sites
for assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 05/01/2000
Amount: $140,770
Profile: The Pilot will conduct site assessments and
examine cleanup and redevelopment options at three
targeted brownfields sites.
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/brownfields)
Grant Recipient: City of North Adams,MA
(413)662-3011
Objectives
The Pilot's objective is to conduct environmental
assessments on three targeted brownfields sites-a former
tannery, a former junk yard, and a warehouse/ service
station property. The Pilot will also conduct public
outreach activities in the local communities to
encourage public involvement in the cleanup and
redevelopment processes and leverage additional public
and private funding for cleanup and redevelopment
activities.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
•	Conducting site assessments at the three targeted
brownfields sites;
•	Preparing cleanup cost estimates for the targeted
sites;
•	Facilitating discussion of options for reusing the
sites; and
•	Conducting public outreach activities in
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 500-F-00-108
nil- a	ancl Emergency	.. __
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	MaV00
Washington, DC 20450	^ v '

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neighborhoods surrounding the three targeted
sites to encourage public involvement.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet
been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this
fact sheet are subject to change.
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
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
Solid Waste
EPA 500-F-00-108
May 00

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