I JBt? | Brownfields 2004 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet \7% New Bedford, 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 City of New Bedford was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. New Bedford (population 93,768) is a historically diverse community where roughly one half of its residents are Portuguese or of Portuguese extraction. The per capita income is 60 percent of the state average, and more than 17 percent of the families live in poverty. Both the unemployment and high school dropout rates significantly exceed the state's rates. The Reliable Truss site, on the banks of the Acushnet River, lies in an Environmental Justice area directly across a public right-of-way from a residential area. Removal of the lead-contaminated soil at the site will help reduce health risks. This will allow the creation of a public park that will provide for enhanced public access to the river, passive recreation opportunities, and improved aesthetics. Restoration of a low salt marsh habitat on filled tideland will help create a healthier, more functional environment for local residents. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of New Bedford for a brownfields cleanup grant. The cleanup grant will be used to clean up hazardous substances contamination on the 2.5-acre former Reliable Truss site at 246 River Road, which was once used for the manufacture of wooden trusses. This site will be reused as a waterfront public park and salt marsh habitat. 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: City of New Bedford, MA City of New Bedford (508)979-1487 City of New Bedford (508) 991-6188 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-04-081 Protection Agency Response (5105T) June 2004 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |