Brownfields 2005 Grant Fact Sheet

Schoolcraft County, MI

EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic development 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 Schoolcraft County for two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous substances and petroleum grant funds will be used to identify and prioritize brownfield properties, perform 20 Phase I and 15 Phase II site assessments, perform five baseline environmental assessments, draft brownfields financing plans, and conduct outreach activities in communities throughout the county.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

Schoolcraft County was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. Schoolcraft County is geographically one of the largest counties in Michigan, but has a relatively low population of approximately 8,903. Although the county has an abundance of land, 70 percent of this land is government-owned park and refuge land protected from development. For years, the county has struggled with high unemployment rates largely associated with the decline of the mining and forestry industries, and the cyclical nature of the tourism industry. The county has an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent, and a poverty rate of 12.2 percent. The median household income is lower than those of the state and national averages. In addition, the population is 6.1 percent American Indians. The many Schoolcraft County properties that are believed to be contaminated include former sawmills, and abandoned gas stations. At least 35 leaking underground storage tanks may threaten the county water supply, groundwater, and surface waters, including Lake Michigan. Brownfields assessments and future redevelopment will encourage investment in small communities, create jobs, help reduce public health risks, preserve the rural character and natural resources of the county, and control the potential migration of contaminants.

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: Schoolcraft County, MI
906-341-5126

The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.