All News Releases By Date

EPA Gives $140,000 Brownfields Grant to North Adams

Release Date: 05/18/2000
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office (617-918-1008)

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that North Adams has been chosen to receive $140,770 of Brownfields assistance to evaluate the cleanup costs and redevelopment options at three abandoned sites in the city.

North Adams will use the funds to do environmental assessments at a former tannery, a former junk yard and a warehouse/service station property. The pilot brownfields grant will also pay for education and outreach efforts to get citizens in the city involved in planning for the redevelopment.

North Adams is among 15 grant recipients in New England and 126 chosen nationally to receive a total of $44 million in Brownfields grants. The funds are being used across the country for site assessments, revolving loan cleanup programs and Brownfields job training programs.

"This $140,000 grant will help jump start North Adams efforts to clean up its abandoned and contaminated sites so they can be put back to productive reuse," said Mindy S. Lubber, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "As a result, residents of North Adams can look forward to a cleaner environment, new jobs and more tax revenues for the community."

Four Communities in Massachusetts received a total of $1.34 million in Brownfields funding. Other grants were given to Brockton, New Bedford and Gloucester.

"Congress, the Clinton administration and EPA are committed to revitalizing these polluted sites that once were given up for dead," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. "Neighborhoods and businesses across the country are proving that the best days of these brownfields are in the future, not in the past. These grants will enhance the impressive efforts bu Gloucester, New Bedford and North Adams to clean up their brownfields and turn them into new engines for job creation and economic growth."

"These grants provide tremendous capital resources to cities striving to address the most pressing issue facing many urban centers," said U.S. Sen. John Kerry. "Brownfields redevelopment is at the heart of the urban revitalization movement and these grants provide us with a strategic approach to identification and cleanup. I congratulate EPA on its commitment to the brownfields issue and look forward to working with New Bedford, Gloucester, North Adams and Brockton in the future on such development initiatives.

"These funds are going to play a significant role in North Adams' remarkable redevelopment efforts, and I am very happy to have worked with Mayor (John) Barrett on this application," said U.S. Rep. John Olver. "Determining the remedial costs and mechanisms to return these properties to productive use through this grant is going to be an essential step toward the city's overall revitalization plan. Due to the limited space available for development through the country, the city's efforts to preserve and enhance existing buildings and properties will allow them to remain competitive for future businesses and industries."

A total of $5.4 million in Brownfield grants were awarded today to 15 New England recipients. Other grants went to New Bedford, Brockton and Gloucester in Massachusetts; Providence and the State of Rhode Island; Westbrook and Lewiston in Maine; the Windham Regional Commission in Vermont; and New London, Berlin, Danbury, Naugatuck Valley and Middlesex Community College in Connecticut.