5 o T> Brownfields 2006 Grant Fact Sheet Northwest Regional Planning Commission, Northwest Vermont 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 Northwest Regional Planning Commission was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Bordered by New York and Canada, the Northwest Region of Vermont is comprised of the 23 communi- ties in Franklin and Grande Isle Counties (total population 52,318). The region has historically served as a gateway to New England and as a major transpor- tation corridor for commercial traffic. Its location made it ideal for the development of steamboat Assessment Grant $200,000 for petroleum EPA has selected the Northwest Regional Plan- ning Commission for a brownfields assessment grant. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct outreach and educational activities, develop a prioritized inventory of sites, perform three to four Phase I and two to three Phase II environmental site assessments, and develop cleanup plans for one or two sites in Franklin and Grande Isle Counties. 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: Northwest Regional Planning Commission, VT 802-524-5958 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. landings and shipping ports in the early 1800s, followed by railroads in the 1850s, and roads in the 1900s. The common denominator for the variety of brownfields sites in the region, from service stations, to bulk storage facilities, former military properties, and municipal garages, is the link to the developmental history of the region's transportation system. Franklin County, home to 86 percent of the region's residents, has a higher poverty rate than the state. In some area municipalities unemployment is greater than 10 percent. Given the rural agrarian nature of the region, communities rely on a small tax base to fund schools and local services. Assessment and eventual cleanup of the region's Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-06-030 May 2006 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- brownfields properties will help increase the tax base. protect wetlands, and preserve agricultural lands. Redevelopment is expected to erase the neglected image projected by the brownfields properties, assist with business recruitment efforts, and add incentives that encourage residents to live in the region's down- town and village environments. ------- |