w5 Brownfields 2009 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Montgomery County Community College, Pottstown, PA 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 February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description Montgomery County Community College was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Incorporated in 1815, Pottstown (population 21,859) has been the home of many industries, including Bethlehem Steel. The targeted Old PECO Building site, once home to the Philadelphia Electric Company, was abandoned in the 1990s. Brownfield sites in Pottstown negatively affect the health and welfare of area residents. The city's poverty rate is significantly higher than the county rate, and the median household income is significantly lower than the county median. The lack of employment and decreasing population limit the town's ability to redevelop brownfield sites. Site cleanup will reduce exposure to contaminants and help stop migration of pollutants to the Schuylkill River, the source of water for 1.7 million people. The college plans to reuse the building on the site for its Environmental Science Program and as an interpretive visitors' center for the nearby Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances (Recovery Act Funding) EPA has selected Montgomery County Community College for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the three-acre Old PECO Building site at 140 College Drive in Pottstown. The Philadelphia Electric Company used the site as a power generating facility until the early 1990s. Site soils are contaminated with arsenic and metals, and the building on the site contains inorganic contaminants. Grant funds also will be used to support community outreach activities. 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 3 Brownfields Team (215)814-3129 EPA Region 3 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bf -lr) Grant Recipient: Montgomery County Community College,PA (610) 718-1846 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-09-275 Protection Agency Response (5105T) May 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |