United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105)
EPA500-F-01-241
April 2001
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
<>EPA Brownfields Cleanup
Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
NewMilford, CT
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders
in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brown fields. A brown field is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for
redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $250,000 over two
years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models;job training pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup
of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, brownfields cleanup revolving
loan fund (BCRLF) programs (each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years), to provide financial assistance for the
environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and
communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to
site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
The Town of New Milford is a small, rural community
in western Connecticut. Like many towns in New
England, New Milford has lost much of its original
industrial base. Many of the town's families earn
moderate incomes. However, the neighborhoods that
surround the blighted, industrially-zoned core are
characterized by economic hardship. Many of the
residents of these areas once worked in the industrial
properties that are now abandoned or underutilized. In
these areas, the average annual household income is
less than half the national average at $17,935. New
Milford's brownfields sites have excellent potential for
reuse because New Milford is growing rapidly, is close
to a labor pool, and has excellent transportation access.
BCRLF OBJECTIVES
New Milford is working hard to rebound from the loss
of its industrial base and the resulting disinvestment
and blight. Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment
will create jobs, increase the tax base, and improve the
overall quality of life. The town's overall brownfields
objectives are to identify and prioritize all sites,
perform site assessments, identify strategies for reuse,
and redevelop priority sites. The New Milford BCRLF
PILOT SNAPSHOT
New Milford, CT
Date of Announcement:
April 2001
Amount: $1.0 million
BCRLF Target Area:
Industrially-zoned land in
New Milford, including the
72-acre DAVKO site,
nearby quarries, and the
Town Garage
Contacts:
New Milford Community Planning and
Economic Development Department
(860)355-6010x7
Region 1 Brownfields
Coordinator
(617)918-1210
Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at:
www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields
For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional
Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications
and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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will provide a sorely needed funding source for
brownfields cleanup.
New Milford's BCRLF program is focused primarily
on the DAVKO site, nearby quarries, and the Town
Garage. Cleanup of the DAVKO site (formerly Century
Brass) is a high priority. This site is located directly
above the town's water supply and has good
redevelopment potential. Potential BCRLF loan
recipients have been identified. Proposed reuse options
include a commercial laundry (creating 300 jobs), a
propane gas distributor, and an "Internet hotel"
(housing for mainframe computers that run the
Internet).
FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
The Town of New Milford is the cooperative
agreement recipient, and will serve as the lead agency
and fund manager. The Army Corps of Engineers will
serve as the site manager.
LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES
New Milford is committed to leveraging other
sources of funding and private investment to
complement EPA funds. BCRLF recipients can
apply for funds from the Connecticut Economic
Development Incentive Program, which offers tax
incentives for potential developers. Other sources to
be pursued for cleanup include the Connecticut
Special Contaminated Property Remediation and
Insurance Fund, the Connecticut UST Cleanup Fund
and EPA's UST Fields Initiative. The Public Works,
Finance, and Community Planning & Economic
Development Departments may provide additional
resources to the BCRLF program. The Town of New
Milford is also considering contributing a portion of
brownfields land sale proceeds to the BCRLF.
Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with
CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of
funding also apply to BCRLF funds.
Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
Apri/2001
New Milford, CT
EPA 500-F-01-241
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