EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfield sites. 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. The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002, as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018, was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: Multipurpose Grants, 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.
$800,000
EPA has selected the City of Rock Falls for a Brownfields Multipurpose Grant. Grant funds will be used to conduct five Phase I and two Phase II environmental site assessments (ESAs), including Phase I and II ESAs of the priority site, create a thorough site inventory, develop a Community Involvement Plan, and conduct other community outreach activities. Grant funds will also be used to clean up the priority site-the two-acre 700 West 2nd Street property-which is part of the larger Parrish Alford (P.A.) Fence & Machine Company site that has been vacant since 2002. The target area for this project is a low-income community comprising 1.1 square miles of the downtown and residential area along the Rock River. It was historically occupied by manufacturing industries, which provided tax revenue, employment, and other business opportunities. However, manufacturing facility closures in and around the target area-including Northwestern Steel and Wire, Reliant Fastener, and Stanley Black and Decker-resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs and a population decline, causing a decreasing tax base, more vacant properties, and lower property values.