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Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet
Lawrence, 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 this 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
$150,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Lawrence for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the former Lawrence Thermal Conversion Facility at 85 Manchester Street. The site, also known as the Covanta Site, has a long industrial history dating back to the 1800s, including use as an icehouse, power generation and manufacturing facility, and railroad yard. Site soil is contaminated with a variety of hazardous substances, including polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and dioxins.
COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
The City of Lawrence was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located in Essex County along the Spicket River, Lawrence (population 72,043) was founded in 1845. For years, the city's economy was supported by textile mills and shoe factories. The legacy of this industrial past has left brownfields scattered throughout the city's federally designated Renewal Community. Lawrence is the 23rd poorest city in the United States, and city residents have the lowest per capita income in the state. About 21 percent of families live below the poverty level, and the unemployment rate is more than 10 percent. When the target site is cleaned up, the city plans to redevelop it as a neighborhood park.
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.
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1424
EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site
Grant Recipient: City of Lawrence, MA
978-620-3527
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.