NORWAY - The results of the second phase of an environmental study of the old corn canning factory on Lake Road will be revealed next month, but early indications show there may be no significant hazards.

"There's nothing too ominous on any of the sites," said Janet Pelletier from the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments. A $200,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant was awarded in 2005 for the testing of five potentially hazardous sites, including the corn shop at 61 Lake Road.

While the specific results of the water and land tests won't be revealed until a public hearing at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 in Norway Town Hall, Pelletier said it doesn't appear that the tests, which included groundwater and soil sampling, will show anything "too bad."

The corn shop, which is owned by local businessman John Longley, was one of three sites selected from an original list of five to undergo a second round of testing. The first phase included an historical and records review of the property to determine what activities occurred on a site that could pose environmental concerns. Longley voluntarily requested participation in the study, Pelletier said.

The sites are named brownfields, which the EPA defines as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants."

The five area sites are Hale Mill in Mexico, Penley Mill in West Paris, the C.B. Cummings Landing/wood yard in Norway and Joneco in Kingfield. The second Norway site was not included in the second-phase testing because nothing was initially found to indicate a potential environmental hazard there, Pelletier said.

Pelletier said Thursday that brownfield sites are often misunderstood by people. Part of the public hearing process, she said, is to educate people about the program that the EPA started in 1994 to help communities address the redevelopment of vacant or under-utilized commercial and industrial sites.

Participation is voluntary. "You don't have to be part of it. You can stop at any time," she said of the process. "It is positive for owners to get involved."

Although no cleanup funds are available for private land owners, the program does provide the owner with a letter that clears the land for certain activity under the Voluntary Response Action program, Pelletier said.

The former corn shop is on about 2.5 acres between Route 118 and Lake Pennesseewassee just west of the downtown business district. The building was used as a corn canning facility from 1881 to the 1950s when the industry left Maine for the West where more efficient canning methods were utilized.

The main building was burned in 1962, rebuilt the next year and used for various purposes including a warehouse storage facility for Central Maine Power, a vehicle fueling station for the Region 11 Vocational School and other uses.