Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet

Loves Park, IL

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 GRANTS

$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Loves Park for two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct up to 12 Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct up to 12 Phase I and up to nine Phase II environmental site assessments. Funds from both grants will be used to prioritize sites and support community outreach activities.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Loves Park was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Located in northwestern Illinois near the City of Rockford, Loves Park (population 20,044) was incorporated in 1947. The commercial and industrial base of the city developed along the busy Illinois Route 251. The corridor at one time was referred to as "gasoline alley" because of the number of service stations attracted to its heavy vehicle traffic. When an Interstate highway was built a few miles to the east, the Illinois 251 Corridor began a slow decline. Today, the corridor is characterized by devalued property and economic stagnation. Poverty levels in the corridor are higher than those of the city, county, and state. Brownfields assessment will leverage redevelopment activities in the corridor with retail trades and services that will provide new jobs, increase tax revenues, and expand parks and greenspace.

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 5 Brownfields Team
312-886-7576
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

Grant Recipient: City of Loves Park, IL
815-654-5030

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.