Brockton, MA EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic development 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, the President 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. CLEANUP GRANT $159,500 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Brockton for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances cleanup grant funds will be used to remove contaminated soils from the former Montello Auto Body site and perform confirmatory sampling. Environmental concerns include petroleum releases and asbestos. Grant funds will also be used to perform wetlands excavation and restoration, and conduct community outreach activities. The site is expected to be used for a multi-use sports facility. COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION The City of Brockton was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The population of Brockton is 94,904, 38 percent of whom are minorities. Brockton is the poorest community in the region, and ranks 320th for median income of the 351 communities in Massachusetts. It had been the shoe manufacturing center of the region from the late 18th century to the 1950s. After the decline in the city's industrial base, the unemployment rate has been consistently higher than the state average. Cleanup of the site will benefit the community by reducing threats to human health, converting community blight into community assets, and facilitating redevelopment as a multi-use sports complex that will provide recreational opportunities for local youth and adults. 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 at: www.epa.gov/brownfields. EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1221
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/ Grant Recipient: Brockton, MA
508-580-7113 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. |
