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  Brownfields  2006
  Grant  Fact Sheet
   Windham Regional
         Commission,
   Southeast  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 Windham Regional Commission was selected to
receive two brownfields assessment grants. The
Commission serves 46,449 people in 27 towns in
southeastern Vermont. Much of the region's economic
base was formed around the plentiful streams and
rivers that provided power for wool, paper, and lumber
mills; munitions manufacturing; foundries; and other
industries. Over the years, many of these industries
closed, leaving a legacy of pollution at numerous
brownfields sites. The Town of Brattleboro is esti-
mated to have as many as 150 brownfields, and the
  Assessment Grants
  $200,000 for hazardous substances
  $200,000 for petroleum
  EPA has selected the Windham Regional Com-
  mission for two brownfields assessment grants.
  Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
  conduct up to four Phase I and Phase II environ-
  mental site assessments and assist with cleanup
  planning for up to two  sites. Grant funds also will
  be used for community outreach and coordina-
  tion, especially with low-to-moderate income
  residents around the region. Petroleum grant
  funds will be used to conduct the same tasks at
  petroleum sites.
  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: Windham Regional Commission,
  VT
  802-257-4547

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Town of Rockingham has about 75. While the popula-
tion has grown in most area towns, the traditional
manufacturing towns have been in decline. There is a
serious shortage of living-wage jobs in the region. The
blighted brownfields have negatively impacted nearby
property values and the tax base, potentially endangered
public health, and deterred redevelopment. Assessment
and eventual cleanup of the region's brownfields will
help protect the health of residents and local waterways
                                               Solid Waste and
                                               Emergency Response
                                               (5105T)
                         EPA 560-F-06-034
                         May 2006
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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and spur reuse of the abandoned and underutilized
properties. Redevelopment will create jobs, increase
tax revenues, preserve rural lands, and restore commu-
nity pride to the Windham region.

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