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  Brownfields 2006

  Grant Fact Sheet

             Norwalk

      Redevelopment

          Agency,  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 Norwalk Redevelopment Agency was selected to
receive two brownfields assessment grants. The City
of Norwalk (82,951) is located in the center of
Connecticut's Fairfield County, 45 minutes from New
York City. It benefits from the rich heritage of a New
England waterfront with exceptional geographic and
economic advantages. Despite the vibrancy, most of
the adjacent neighborhoods in the urban core in South
Norwalk still experience high levels of unemployment,
poverty, and crime, and are home to the largest number
of brownfields. Within this area, 15 percent of resi-
  Assessment Grants
  $200,000 for hazardous substances
  $200,000 for petroleum

  EPA has selected the Norwalk Redevelopment
  Agency for two brownfields assessment grants.
  Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
  perform up to seven Phase I and up to five Phase
  II environmental site assessments in the city's
  urban core, known as South Norwalk. Petroleum
  grant funds will be used to perform up to seven
  Phase I and up to six Phase II environmental site
  assessments in the  same area. Grant funds also
  will be used for site inventory and prioritization,
  integration of information into a geographic
  information system, reuse planning, and commu-
  nity outreach 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
  617-918-1424
  http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/

  Grant Recipient: Norwalk Redevelopment Agency,
  CT
  203-854-7810, ext. 6786

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
dents live below the poverty level, and half the residents
are minorities. Throughout the 19th and early 20th
Centuries, the South Norwalk area was the home of a
significant number of hat factories. These factories were
notorious for their use of mercury and other heavy
metals. Consequently, the city's industrial past has
saddled South Norwalk with extensive environmental
                                                Solid Waste and
                                                Emergency Response
                                                (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-06-004
                         May 2006
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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concerns impeding economic development and nega-
tively impacting public health. The revitalized
brownfields will serve as a catalyst for private invest-
ment and real estate development, including mixed-use
development, retail space, and an expanded transporta-
tion hub. Brownfields redevelopment will clean up
pollution, promote economic benefits, create jobs,
promote a vibrant community, reduce blight, and
prevent future brownfields.

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