United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response(5101) EPA500-F-99-107 June 1999 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Hat/dam, CT Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101) Quick Reference Fact Sheet EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models;job training pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfieldstofacilitatecleanupofbrownfieldssites and preparetrainees for future employmentintheenvironmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment. BACKGROUND EPA has selected the Town of Haddam for a Brownfields Pilot. Haddam is a small, rural town of 7,200 residents located in the Connecticut River Valley. This section of the Connecticut River, which has been designated as an American Heritage River, contains an important tidal wetlands area that supports a diverse fish, wildlife, and vegetation population. The town's unemployment rate has increased since 1994, in large part due to the loss of the town's three largest employers. Altogether, more than 50 percent of Haddam's tax base has been lost, at a time when the population is increasing. This has strained municipal services, especially education. Although the town needs to grow and diversify its business and industrial tax base in order to provide for the populace, residents want to preserve the rural character of the town. The Pilot will target three properties in Higganum Center, a small business center in the town where drinking wells, soil, and groundwater have suspected contamination. OBJECTIVES As part of a broader town effort to eliminate potential environmental health hazards, diversify the tax base, PILOTSNAPSHOT Haddam, Connecticut Contacts: Town of Haddam (860) 345-8531 Date of Announcement: June 1999 Amount: $156,000 Profile: The Pilot targets three publicly-owned properties, totaling 6 acres, in Higganum Center—one of two small business centers in Haddam. Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 1 (617)573-9681 Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region01/remed/brnfld/ For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ ------- and protect the open spaces, ecosystem, and rural character of Haddam, the Pilot will target three brownfields in one of the town's two business centers. In developing its comprehensive plan, the town identified these three sites as opportunities to help achieve economic diversity while removing a potential public health threat. The Pilot plans to continue the grassroots community involvement, evidenced in the town's comprehensive planning process, throughout the assessment and cleanup planning phases. ACCOMPLISHMENTS ANDACTIVITIES Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: • Performing Phase I, II, and III assessments at the three targeted sites; • Coordinating community outreach efforts; • Preparing a cleanup feasibility study for each site; and • Conducting an ecological assessment of a stream adjacent to the sites. The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Haddam, Connecticut June 1999 EPA500-F-99-107 ------- |