J*""1** i O \ Brownfields 2004 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Middlefield and Ware, 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 Pioneer Valley Planning Commission was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Pioneer Valley (population 602,000) encompasses 43 cities and towns in western Massachusetts and is a federally designated Economic Development Area. Economic prosperity in the valley is uneven, and the overall poverty rate has increased steadily over 30 years from 9.4 to 13.4 percent. Middlefield (population 542) is a rural farm community favored by local artisans. The general store property was once used as a gathering point for local residents and currently houses the town post office. Rehabilitation of the property will bring back the local commercial business, and a common gathering place for the community. Assessment Grant $150,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission for a brownfields assessment grant. Grant funds will be used to perform a Phase II site assessment at a former general store and filling station in Middlefield. Additional Phase I and Phase II assessments will be performed on an as-needed basis on other as yet unidentified sites with potential petroleum contamination. 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/bro wnfields ) Grant Recipient: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission,MA (413)781-6045 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-04-174 Protection Agency Response (5105T) June 2004 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |