Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet

Brockton, 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.

ASSESSMENT GRANT

$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Brockton for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to perform Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, and conduct community involvement activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Brockton was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. A major urban community 20 miles south of Boston, Brockton (population 94,304) was a shoe manufacturing center from the late 18th Century through the 1950s. Due to global competition, Brockton experienced a decline of its industrial base, which has led to economic decline. Brockton, where 38 percent of residents are minorities, ranks 320th for median income out of the 351 communities in Massachusetts. The city has a 5.7 percent unemployment rate. Brownfields redevelopment is a critical element of Brockton's revitalization because 96 percent of the city is developed. Brownfields comprise about one third of the area in the Economic Corridor, an area that borders both sides of a railway through Brockton. The city envisions reusing the corridor as a mixed-use, transit-oriented urban village. Brownfields assessment will help the city identify and deal with the potential risks to public health and facilitate redevelopment. Brownfields redevelopment will improve economic, environmental, and public health conditions in the city.

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
617-918-1424
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/

Grant Recipient: City of Brockton, MA
508-580-7113

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.