I
'O
UJ
O
Brownfields 2004
Grant Fact Sheet
Torrington, CT
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up,
and sustainably reuse brownfields. Abrownfield 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, the President
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 pro-
grams through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The City of Torrington was selected to receive a
brownfields assessment grant. Torrington is a commu-
nity of 35,202 persons in rural Litchfield County.
Torrington is the regional economic center of the
county. Historically, the city's economy centered
around industry. However, the percentage of the
population employed in manufacturing has decreased
from 44 percent in 1970 to 21 percent in 2001. This
decrease has led to increased unemployment and
poverty in the city, which has a current poverty rate of
7.4 percent, and an unemployment rate of 4.9 percent.
The city's per capita income and median household
income are lower than the state average. Brownfields
redevelopment will assist in leveraging additional
Assessment Grant
$199,130 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the City of Torrington to
receive a brownfields assessment grant. Grant
funds will be used to perform Phase I and II
assessments at four potential brownfields sites in
downtown Torrington. These four sites have
housed manufacturing, machining, lumber, and
other industrial facilities since the early 1900s.
Grant funds will also be used to conduct commu-
nity outreach and education activities.
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
617-918-1221
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Torrington, CT
860-496-5920
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, the activities
described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
private funding and boost ongoing redevelopment
efforts. The four sites may be used for a new county
courthouse, or part of the University of Connecticut/
Torrington campus.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-04-097
June 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields
------- |