All News Releases By Date

"Brownfields grant to help assess mill site at Crow Agency

Release Date: 5/18/2000
Contact Information:
Kathie Atencio (303) 312-6803,

Release Date: 5/18/2000
Contact Information:
Todd Chaudry (303) 312-7074 Nancy Mueller (303) 312-6602
DENVER– Rebirth of an abandoned carpet mill at Crow

Agency into a vocational/technical and tribal heritage

center came one step closer today with announcement of a

"brownfields" grant to the Crow Nation.


A formal agreement remains to be worked out but the Tribe is slated to receive $200,000 to assess contamination at the defunct Big Horn Carpet Mill site. The mill produced carpet from 1968 until 1974. Mills typically use dyes, glues and mixtures of chemicals to manufacture and treat carpets. Solvents are used on the machinery.

The Crow Nation plans to investigate what contaminants are present, in what amounts and whether they are moving in soil or ground water. The assessments are the first steps toward cleanup of the site. The Tribe hopes to convert the property to a facility to house the Crow Vocational Technical Center and the Crow Arts and Crafts Heritage Center. The facility would boost education and cut unemployment on the reservation.

The Crow grant was one of 56 brownfields “assessment” grants totaling $12.2 million nationally announced today by Vice President Al Gore. Over the last few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has helped more than 300 communities to leverage nearly $1.9 billion to clean up and redevelop tainted properties, creating nearly 6,000 jobs in the process.

Brownfields grants are part of the nation's Superfund Program which drives cleanups of hazardous waste sites. Brownfields are idled, abandoned or under-used industrial or business sites where redevelopment is complicated by possible contamination. Fears of liability and cleanup costs often thwart reuse plans. Development then goes elsewhere, leaving parcels behind to slide into blight.

As part of the process, the Tribe will bring together community groups, investors, lenders, developers and other affected parties to discuss cleanup and reuse issues.