The city of Gloucester has contracted Peabody-based Weston & Sampson, an environmental and infrastructure consulting firm, to take inventory of public and private parcels along and near the Gloucester Harbor. The Environmental Protection Agency issued a $400,000 grant to the city for the project.

"The project will give property owners more information about existing environmental conditions, which is valuable information for them as they plan investment decisions and as we continue to collaborate to diversify our working waterfront," Tom Daniel, Gloucester’s community development director, said in a statement.

The first phase of the inventory, which will be completed this year, will gather general information about the properties and information about known environmental conditions. The second and third phases of the project involve gathering more detailed information about past use and environmental conditions on select properties.