ADAMS, Mass. — The town of Adams has been selected to receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help assess properties in the Route 8 Corridor.

 

"Like many other former New England Mill communities, our industrial heritage is within the most visible part of a community," Town Administrator Jay Green said. "For Adams, it is critical for us to invest in and encourage private investment in those properties that are visible in our entrance gateways. Investors and developers want to invest in a community that is willing to take on these challenges and work with them to return these properties to the tax rolls."

 

Adams was one of 14 communities in the state to receive part of the $8,740,000 in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs.

 

The communitywide grant funds will be used to conduct environmental site assessments, complete a brownfields site inventory, and conduct community engagement activities.

 

Green said although the funds cannot be used for the physical cleanup, they will help address site assessments. He said these assessments are costly and need to be done before any development work can take place. 

 

"The cost of re-developing our properties is expensive in the Berkshires. This is especially true with former industrial properties," he said. "We are often asked, 'Does the town have any money to invest in helping develop this property?' Municipalities generally do not have funds available to do so. We will now be able to use these funds to help kick-start development by funding required environmental assessments."

 

Green said the town does have some flexibility in what projects it can address, however, they have highlighted a few priority projects.

 

"Part of the town's Economic Development Strategy is to ensure that commercial properties can be developed into revenue-generating properties rather than sitting idle or deteriorating," he said. "We spend time with potential developers/property owners to see where town government can help. This grant can be a tool to help encourage a developer to choose Adams because this grant can lower their environmental assessment costs. Alternatively, if the property is owned by the town, it will help us get the property back onto the tax rolls where it belongs."   

 

The grant will be used to address former industrial properties, a former cotton manufacturing company, and a former retail facility.

 

Green said the town will issue a request for proposals (RFP) to solicit responses for qualified vendors to execute the work. This should be issued sometime in the late summer or early fall. Once the procurement process is complete and a vendor has been selected, the actual work will begin.