Mesothelioma and Asbestos

The town of South Berwick is hoping to receive a $200,000 grant from the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission (SMRPC) in order to remove asbestos as well as mold from the former St. Michael’s Church.  The executive director of the SMRPC said that his staff will speak favorably about the grant application; in fact, the commission has worked with the town to develop the application.  The SMRPC was given $1.6 million through the Department of Environmental Protection’s Brownfields Cleanup Subgrant Program, but only $360,000 of it is available for outright grants. The rest is to be used for low-interest loans.

Incase approved, the grant will mandate a 20% match to be funded through in-kind service—i.e., town labor. The funding will remove asbestos as well as other hazardous materials from the aged church. After the building is cleaned up as well as intimate fundraising is completed, the church is going to be converted for take as a recent town library.

For the filled story, go to Sea Coast Online.