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 Brownfields  2007

  Grant  Fact  Sheet

       Capitol Region

            Council  of

        Governments,

 Metropolitan Hartford

          Region,  CT


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 Capitol Region Council of Governments was
selected to receive two brownfields assessment grants.
The 35 towns in the Metropolitan Hartford Region
(population 891,241) cover a 949-square-mile area in
north-central Connecticut. The region has long been
recognized as one of the most industrialized areas of
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum

EPA has selected the Capitol Region Council of
Governments for two brownfields assessment
grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be
used to evaluate and prioritize sites and conduct
five Phase I and four Phase II environmental site
assessments. Funds also will be used for commu-
nity involvement activities. Petroleum grant funds
will be used to perform the same tasks at sites with
potential petroleum contamination.
 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: Capitol Region Council of
 Governments, CT
 860-522-2217, ext. 22

 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.
the state. However, from 1990 to 2005, jobs in the
manufacturing and insurance sectors, two primary
industries in the region, decreased by 26 and 13
percent respectively. Poverty rates in the target
communities of New Britain, East Hartford, and
Hartford range from 10.3 to 30.6 percent. From 1990
to 2000, the minority population in the region grew
from 20 percent to 27 percent. There are an estimated
                                              Solid Waste and
                                              Emergency Response
                                              (5105T)
                      EPA 560-F-07-026
                      May 2007
                      www.epa.gov/brownfields

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66 to 75 brownfield sites in the Metro Hartford region.
The brownfields present a potential environmental
hazard, erode property values, and deter investment.
Once brownfields are assessed, the Council plans to
encourage their redevelopment into commercial and
residential areas and new public spaces. Redevelop-
ment will lead to job creation, increased tax revenue,
and improved redevelopment potential of additional
properties.

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