Brownfields 2005 Grant Fact Sheet

Marlborough, 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, 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.

CLEANUP GRANT

$199,200 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Marlborough for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up petroleum contamination at two parcels in the former Seymour Oil Storage property, now known as the Rail Trail-Kelleher Site. Contaminants on the property include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons. The property will become part of the Assabet River Rail Trail, providing parking, a bicycle rack area, and a picnic area.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Marlborough was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Within this city of 36,255 residents, brownfields are concentrated in the downtown area, causing blight and becoming vectors for illicit activity. The former oil storage property to be cleaned up is in a neighborhood that has suffered from neglect and disinvestment, and has a low- and moderate-income rate of 51 percent. Cleanup of the site will allow the city to redevelop the property to provide parking, a bicycle rack area, and a picnic area for those using the Assabet River Rail Trail, a public walking, bicycling, and recreational pathway. Cleanup of the property will build interest in revitalizing and living in the neighborhood, and increase use of the more accessible rail trail.

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: City of Marlborough, MA
508-460-3764

The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.