Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet

Capitol Region Council of Governments, Metropolitan Hartford Region, CT

EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.

ASSESSMENT GRANTS

$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Capitol Region Council of Governments for two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to evaluate and prioritize sites and conduct five Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments. Funds also will be used for community involvement activities. Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform the same tasks at sites with potential petroleum contamination.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Capitol Region Council of Governments was selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants. The 35 towns in the Metropolitan Hartford Region (population 891,241) cover a 949-square-mile area in north-central Connecticut. The region has long been recognized as one of the most industrialized areas of the state. However, from 1990 to 2005, jobs in the manufacturing and insurance sectors, two primary industries in the region, decreased by 26 and 13 percent respectively. Poverty rates in the target communities of New Britain, East Hartford, and Hartford range from 10.3 to 30.6 percent. From 1990 to 2000, the minority population in the region grew from 20 percent to 27 percent. There are an estimated 66 to 75 brownfield sites in the Metro Hartford region. The brownfields present a potential environmental hazard, erode property values, and deter investment. Once brownfields are assessed, the Council plans to encourage their redevelopment into commercial and residential areas and new public spaces. Redevelopment will lead to job creation, increased tax revenue, and improved redevelopment potential of additional properties.

CONTACTS

For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/brownfields.

EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1424
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/

Grant Recipient: Capitol Region Council of Governments, CT
860-522-2217, ext. 22

The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.