The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing two Brownfields Cleanup Grants, totaling $400,000, to the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority (ARA) to clean former industrial sites.
The funds will allow for $200,000 in petroleum funding to clean up the former Automatic Machine Product site, and $200,000 in hazardous substance funding for the former American Metalcraft Co. site.
The funding is part of more than $17 million in EPA brownfields investments across the six New England states announced by EPA to protect health and the environment, create jobs and promote economic re-development in American communities.
The grant money can assist work to reclaim sites including old textile mills, sites containing hazardous substances and petroleum products and other abandoned industrial and commercial properties. EPA’s Brownfields program encourages redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.
The city of Attleboro and ARA are in the process of redeveloping and revitalizing the area surrounding the Attleboro MBTA Commuter Rail Station as part of the city’s Urban Renewal Plan. The end result of this project will turn this former industrial/commercial area into one of mixed use including commercial, residential & recreational uses. Also, substantial expansion and improvements of bus and rail transportation will be completed. This initiative brings concentrated technical and financial assistance from state and federal agencies to this project, according to a statement.
In Massachusetts this year, EPA is providing $6.75 million in 33 separate Brownfields grants to communities across the state.
"EPA Brownfields funding helps strengthen the economic foundation and is a catalyst for further growth in our communities," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA New England’s office. "Cleaning and revitalizing contaminated sites helps create jobs, and can help a community to create new businesses and neighborhood centers, while making our environment cleaner and the community healthier."
