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Brownfields 2005
Grant Fact Sheet
A/ew M/7ford, CT
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
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 Town of New Milford was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Geographically, New
Milford (population 27,121) is the largest town in
Connecticut. Although the town's population has grown
by 15 percent in the last ten years, its commercial and
industrial growth has lagged during the last two de-
cades. New Milford's largest employer recently laid
off about 450 employees. An additional 100 jobs will be
lost at another large employer in 2005. At least 62
percent of all of New Milford workers work out of
town. The neighborhood around the 72-acre Century
Enterprise Center (CEC) site has substandard housing
and high unemployment, and is home to many of the
town's minority residents. If the old mill site continues
Cleanup Grant
120051
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Town of New Milford for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be
used toward Phase II of the interior cleanup of
the Century Enterprise Center, which housed a
brass and copper tubing mill from 1958 to 1985.
This phase will address PCB contamination of the
concrete building slab and other contamination
found in the structure and in abandoned equip-
ment and scrap metal.
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
617-918-1221
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Town of New Milford, CT
860-355-6081
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
to deteriorate, it poses a potential threat to groundwater
and nearby residents. Once cleaned up, the town plans
to reuse the CEC site, which is strategically located
along an existing freight line, as an industrial or distribu-
tion facility. This reuse would generate significant tax
revenues for the town and create up to 100 new jobs.
Once the CEC site is put into productive use, the town
anticipates that further development around it will
generate hundreds of desirable jobs and millions of
dollars in tax revenues.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-05-007
May 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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