5 o T> Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet Northeastern Vermont Development Association 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 Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) was selected to receive a brownfields assess- ment grant. NVDA is a non-profit regional planning and development corporation serving Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties (combined population 62,438). The region is an isolated area east of the Green Mountains and west of the White Mountains along the Canadian border and Connecticut River. Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties have the Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to identify and prioritize brownfield sites for assessment in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties. Grant funds also will be used to conduct four or five Phase I and two or three Phase II environmental site assessments, and to support community 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: Northeastern Vermont Development Association 802-748-5181 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negoti- ated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. state's highest county poverty rates, and the average median household incomes in the region are below the state average. In the past, the region's industries and businesses benefitted from the proximity of major shipping routes and abundant natural resources. Today, most of the region's brownfield sites are located along these major shipping routes and in historic downtown areas. Brownfields assessment will create opportuni- ties to redevelop sites with affordable housing and Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-07-128 May 2007 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- greenspace, and attract new businesses that will bring new jobs to the region. Eventual brownfields cleanup and redevelopment will reduce threats to public health and the environment, while increasing tax revenues. ------- |