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Brownfields 1998 Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet
Colrain, 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 Town of Colrain for a Brownfields
Pilot. Colrain (population 1,757) is a rural town located
in the hills of western Massachusetts. In August 1996,
the Town lost its largest employer and taxpayer,
American Fiber & Finishing (AF&F). The cotton
bleaching mill had been in continuous operation for 150
years. The loss of this major employer has devastated
Colrain's economy. As a result of the complex's closing,
160 people lost their jobs. The Town's unemployment
rate is 8.7%, fifth-highest in the state, and nearly 11% of
the community's residents live in poverty.
Colrain wants to facilitate the redevelopment of the
AF&F site to create jobs, stabilize the local tax base, and
establish a process for redeveloping other brownfields in
the Town. Two potential purchasers have expressed
interest in the AF&F property, but the unknown extent of
contamination has deterred them from redeveloping the
site. There are two other abandoned mill sites in the Town
and other sites where contamination is suspected. The
Town has established the community-based
AF&F/Brownfields Task Force to guide redevelopment
of brownfields, starting with the AF&F site. The Town is
also working to retain existing businesses, and has
successfully implemented a plan to retain its
second-largest employer.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 07/15/1998
Amount: $195,862
Profile: The Pilot will target a former cotton
bleaching mill that was the Town's major employer
until its closure in 1996.
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: Colrain, MA
(413)624-5500
Objectives
The Pilot will enable Colrain to determine the extent of
contamination at the AF&F site, estimate cleanup costs,
and create cleanup and redevelopment plans for the site.
Pilot funds also will be used to facilitate citizen
involvement in the assessment, cleanup, and
redevelopment of the AF&F site.
Activities
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
•	Assessing the AF&F property and adjacent
businesses and residences;
•	Developing cleanup, financing, and
redevelopment plans for the target site; and
•	Facilitating citizen involvement in
redevelopment decision making.
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
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 500-F-98-174
Jul 98

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grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities
described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 500-F-98-174
_ . .	and Emergency	. .
Protection Agency	Response (5105*0	Jul 98
Washington, DC 20450	^ v '

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/r^. Brownfields 1998 Supplemental Assessment
IW * Pilot Fact Sheet
%	City of Colrain, 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 awarded the Town of Colrain supplemental
assistance for its Brownfields Assessment Demonstration
Pilot. Colrain (population 1,757) is a rural town located
in the hills of western Massachusetts. In August 1996,
the Town lost its largest employer and taxpayer,
American Fiber & Finishing (AF&F). The cotton
bleaching mill had been in continuous operation for 150
years. The loss of this major employer has devastated
Colrain's economy. As a result of the complex's closing,
160 people lost their jobs. The Town's unemployment
rate is 8.7 percent, fifth-highest in the state, and nearly
11 percent of the community's residents live in poverty.
Colrain wants to facilitate the redevelopment of the
AF&F site to create jobs, stabilize the local tax base, and
establish a process for redeveloping other brownfields in
the town. The initial assessments at the site found more
extensive contamination than originally anticipated. It
was also concluded that the potential for contamination
migration to the two on-site water supplies and Zone 2
protection wells was greater because of the building
removal activities at the site. In addition to the AF&F
site, the Pilot will also target the abandoned Upper Mill
site for assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment.
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 03/01/2000
Amount: $40,000
Profile: The Pilot targets two sites for assessment,
cleanup, and redevelopment activities, including a
former cotton bleaching mill and an abandoned,
fire-ravaged mill.
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 Colrain, MA
(413)624-3454
Objectives
Colrain's goal is to cleanup and redevelop the
contaminated mill sites to protect human health and the
environment, create permanent jobs, and strengthen the
local tax base. In addition, to on-site mill contamination,
the Pilot will focus on assessing the potential risks
posed to the North River and the water supply for the
nearby towns. Related efforts are underway to restore
the North River habitat for salmon.
To accomplish these objectives, the Pilot plans to:
•	Conduct comprehensive Phase II assessments
and prepare cleanup plans at the AF&F and
Upper Mill sites, including an assessment of the
North River;
•	Provide the public with understandable
information about the assessment results;
•	Develop reuse plans for both sites; and
•	Facilitate citizen involvement in the assessment,
cleanup, and redevelopment at both sites.
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 500-F-00-010
nil- a	ancl Emergency	. __
Protection Agency	Response (5105*0	Apr°°
Washington, DC 20450	^ v '

-------
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-00-010
Apr 00

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