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Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet
Oakland, ME
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
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Town of Oakland for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the 4.9-acre Cascade Woolen Mill site located at 60 Cascade Mill Road. The former textile mill was constructed in 1882 and manufactured woolen fabrics for clothing and upholstery until it was abandoned in 1998. Site soil is contaminated with metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and inorganic compounds. Grant funds also will be used to support community involvement activities.
COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
The Town of Oakland was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. Located 22 miles north of Augusta near the Belgrade Lakes, Oakland (population 5,959) was incorporated in 1873. It grew as industries arrived to take advantage of the town's water power provided by the nearby Messalonskee Stream. As a result, Oakland became an important economic influence in the region. The Cascade Woolen Mill was the last manufacturing facility in the town to close, and remains an architecturally significant symbol of Oakland's former industrial prominence in the region. The mill site is located in the town's Village District, a low-income, mixed-use area. The current tenant is interested in expanding his business, but can use only a portion of the facility because of contamination detected during a Phase II assessment. Cleanup of the site is expected to allow the redevelopment of the underused portion of the mill, providing employment opportunities for area residents. Cleanup also is expected to reduce threats to the Messalonskee Stream.
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: Town of Oakland, ME
207-465-7357
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.