I | Brownfields 2004 As Jackson 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. 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 Jackson County was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Jackson County (population 158,422) is composed of one city, 19 townships, and seven villages. Since the mid-1800s, Jackson's geographically centered rail system served as a transit hub for industry. Manufacturers took advantage of the ready transportation by locating facilities in Jackson. In the early 1980s, high business costs drove many manufacturers from the area, leaving behind abandoned and potentially contaminated sites, and causing a major decline in the area population. Many of the county's rural areas have elevated poverty levels, including one as high as 18.7 percent. The unemployment rate in the county is typically higher than the state rate. The county's chief priority is to redevelop sites in the smaller, economically challenged communities. This assessment grant will build on the successes of previous brownfields assessment activities in this community. Grant Fact Sheet Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected Jackson County to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to perform up to ten Phase I assessments, eight Phase II assessments, and eight baseline environmental assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop brownfield plans for up to eight 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 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http: //www. epa.gov/R5 Brownfields) Grant Recipient: Jackson County,MI (517) 788-4455 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-04-064 nil- a ancl Emergency . Protection Agency Response (5105T) Jun 04 Washington, DC 20450 ^ v ' ------- |