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  Brownfields  2006

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

     Rutland Regional

             Planning

      Commission,  VT


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 Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC)
was selected to receive a brownfields assessment
grant. Located in western Vermont, the RRPC assists
27 towns (combined population 63,400) with land-use
planning and economic development efforts. The
region includes rural towns and sub-regional centers
around the City of Rutland, the economic and social
hub of the county. The city and many of the sub-
regional hubs developed around industrial and manu-
facturing operations, including slate, marble, and iron
mining; foundry operations; clothing factories; and
  Assessment  Grant
  $200,000 for petroleum

  EPA has selected the Rutland Regional Planning
  Commission for a brownfields assessment grant.
  Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform
  seven Phase I and four Phase II environmental
  site assessments, and develop four Phase III
  cleanup plans in the Rutland region of Vermont.
  Grant funds also will be used for redevelopment
  assistance, and public outreach and involvement.
  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: Rutland Regional Planning
  Commission, VT
  802-775-0871

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
mills. Many industrial towns in the region experienced
sharp population losses after an overall decline in
industrial activity in the first half of the 20th Century.
Growth in per capita income has remained stagnant over
the past 30 years. The region contains 277 identified
petroleum sites, including abandoned gas stations, auto
shops, and fuel oil facilities in even the most rural
towns. The City of Rutland has the highest concentra-
tion of sites, including 80 underground storage tanks.
When the brownfields are revitalized, they will be used
for commercial and employment purposes. Brownfields
redevelopment is expected to help the region strengthen
its local town centers, retain agricultural land use,  add
to the tax base, and create jobs.
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-06-031
                         May 2006
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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