Maine to get Over $4 Million to Clean Up Hazardous Sites

Statement

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that $4.15 million in federal grants will be coming to Maine to clean up contaminated sites in the state, paving the way for development and job creation in a number of Maine communities.

"Cleaning up contaminated sites in places like Rockland and Sanford turns land that has been a liability for a community into an asset that can drive economic development," Pingree said. "And bringing federal money to Maine to pay for these projects means the burden doesn't fall on local property tax payers."

Among the grants announced today include $800,000 for the town of Sanford, which willhelp with the assessment and clean up of contaminated sites

Jim Nimon, the Sanford Town Manager, says a portion of the money will be used to clean up the site of a former electronics recycler, which operated in the town from the mid 70s until 1991.

"We want to get the CGA site cleaned up and this funding is key to getting that done," Nimon said. "Once we get this parcel cleaned up we'll have a 17 acres piece of property that will be a prime spot for economic development and re-use and we expect will become part of the tax base in Sanford."

In 2010, Pingree brought regional EPA Director Kurt Spalding to the site and met with local residents and town officials to talk about ways to fund the cleanup.

In Rockland city officials will be getting a $400,000 grant to do an environmental assessment on a variety of properties that are suspected of having hazardous contamination.

"We know we've got some properties that might have some contamination, and this funding is the first step in identifying those properties and getting them cleaned up," said Audrey Lovering, the Community Development Director in Rockland. "We're using this as economic development tool to educate people in the city and let them know we can help them clean up their properties. We're here to help property owners."

Other awards in this EPA grant program include:

Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission: $350,000
Town of Dover Foxcroft: $200,000
Northern Maine Commission: $400,000
Town of Old Town: $600,000
Piscataquis County Economic Development Council: $800,000
Washington County Council of Governments: $400,000
Town of Wilton: $200,000

Source