5 o T> Brownfields 2006 Grant Fact Sheet Bridgeport, CT EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu- nities, and other stakeholders 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, 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. Addi- tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Community Description The City of Bridgeport was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant and a brownfields cleanup grant. Located in southern Connecticut along Long Island Sound, Bridgeport (population 139,529) has served as a major U.S. industrial center for more than 150 years, but many of its industrial sites now are idled. The city is a federally designated Enterprise Community that contains at least 200 inventoried brownfields spread throughout the city, including sites next to homes, schools, and waterways. At least half of the city's residents are minorities who live under the federal poverty level, and the unemployment rate approaches 25 percent in some neighborhoods. When brownfields are cleaned up, they will be used as sites for commercial buildings, recreation, and greenspace. Brownfields redevelopment will attract local business Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Bridgeport for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to perform four Phase I, three Phase II, and two additional environmental site assessments at abandoned and blighted parcels of land throughout the city. Funds also will be used for cleanup planning, community involvement activities, and health monitoring of residents, including testing for asthma. ^New'1 i2006j Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances' EPA has selected the City of Bridgeport for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the Producto Machine site at 990 Housatonic Avenue, which is contaminated with PCBs, arsenic, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, copper, and other metals. The 11- acre property includes two structures constructed between 1905 and the 1970s, and was the site of a key industry in Bridgeport's history of machine milling tools production. 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: City of Bridgeport, CT 203-335-1562 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-06-001 May 2006 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- developers, protect human health, create jobs, beautify neighborhoods, increase housing stock, elevate property values, and generate tax revenues. When the Producto Machine property is cleaned up, it will be the site of the Bridgeport Public Facilities Department. ------- |