SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $200,000 IN EPA FUNDING COMING TO ROME FOR CLEAN UP AT NOLAN MANUFACTURING BUILDING; WILL BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY AND PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide $200,000 to Rome to conduct site assessment and planning for eventual cleanup at Nolan Manufacturing Building as part of a communitywide Brownfield Program site cleanup. The twostory Nolan Manufacturing Building is contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, and leadbased paint - all of which will be remediated. The city of Rome is considering a number of possible uses for the property, including cleantechnology or arts manufacturing. A mixed commercialresidential livework space conversion is another possibility being explored. Schumer applauds the EPA's investment in Rome, and vows to push for further support at other New York cleanup sites.

"Investing in the cleanup of the Nolan Manufacturing Building is smart on the short term for the health of Rome residents, and for the long term economic revitalization of the region,"  said Schumer. "This program will help speed up expansion and development that has been delayed in Rome due to the hazardous substances and contaminants in the area. Cleaning up the sites will help create jobs and provide the opportunity for economic expansion."

The Brownfields Program was created by Congress in 2002. It helps states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize properties that may be contaminated and are not currently being put to productive use.  EPA's Brownfields Program encourages redevelopment of America's estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.

Schumer applauds the EPA's announcement of more than $76 million in new investments across the country that will redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and help create jobs while protecting public health. Since its inception, EPA's brownfields investments have leveraged more than $16.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources, and resulted in approximately 70,000 jobs in cleanup, construction, and redevelopment. EPA is selecting 214 grants through the Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants programs that will go to 40 states and three tribes across the country.