Economic Development & Planning
Brownfields Site Assessment And Revolving Loan Programs
The DuBois property in Turners Falls received Brownfields Site Assessment funding.
Project Overview
"Brownfields" are properties that may or may not be contaminated with hazardous materials, the presence of which may impact the ability of the property to be used for redevelopment. The FRCOG administers two Brownfields programs on behalf of the region - a site assessment program, and a revolving loan fund program for clean up. The site assessment program uses funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hire an engineering firm to complete environmental site assessments for identified properties. The Brownfields Clean-up Revolving Loan Fund was created by a $1 million grant from the EPA to the FRCOG in 1999. This fund gives low-interest loans or sub-grants to eligible entities cleaning up brownfield sites. The Upper Mill site in Colrain, the First National Bank Building in Greenfield, and the Putnam Hall Building in Orange have used the fund for clean up.
Current Activities
Vacant or underutilized brownfield sites impact our region's natural resources, community health, and economic development opportunities. As of August 2009, the FRCOG has assessed or provided clean up funds for 31 properties in 15 Franklin County towns as a result of the grants awarded to the FRCOG from the EPA.
More properties will be assessed as the environmental site assessment grant for properties impacted by petroleum products, (such as former gas stations or fuel storage depots) continues and a new environmental site assessment grant award gets underway. The latest grant award is the FRCOG's third that has focused assessment on properties with potential hazardous substances.
If a Franklin County Select Board or the Greenfield Mayor's office would like to request a property to be considered for hazardous substances assessment under the FRCOG’s Regional Brownfields Program, please complete the site survey form. Please note that soil and groundwater testing can only be conducted with the property owner’s permission. The FRCOG will work with the Town and the property owner to further explain the program.
Future Plans
The FRCOG will continue to pursue opportunities to continue brownfields mitigation and redevelopment. If there is a site you are concerned with, please contact the FRCOG Planning Department to learn more about the program.
Links
MA Department of Environmental Protection's Brownfields Program
US Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Program
Page last updated on September 10, 2009 .