5 o T> Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet East Hampton, 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 Town of East Hampton was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant and a brownfields cleanup grant. East Hampton (population 11,300) is a historic rural town located along the banks of the Connecticut River. During the first half of the 19th Century, the town transitioned from the ship building industry to manufacturing, eventually becoming a major industrial center in the Northeast. The town grew around the factories that were clustered in the Village Center. Today, 23 of the 24 identified brownfields in East Hampton are in the Village Center. The average per capita income of East Hampton is well below both the state and county averages, and the job growth rate is less than half the state rate. Assessment and cleanup of the city's old industrial sites will help leverage Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Town of East Hampton for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to conduct com- munity outreach activities and perform environ- mental site assessments on high-priority brownfields. filewVl £007j $200,000 for hazardous substancesrrr< Cleanup Grant EPA has selected the Town of East Hampton for a brownfields cleanup grant. Grant funds will be used to clean up the Gong Bell site at 103 Main Street. The Gong Bell Company manufactured and painted bells and toys from the late 1800s to the 1960s, when it was destroyed by a major fire. The site is contaminated with heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Funds also will be used for community outreach and cleanup planning. 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: Town of East Hampton, CT 860-267-4468 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. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-07-043 May 2007 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- reinvestment in the Village Center, protect human health, and reduce contamination of area waterways. Redevelopment will increase local employment oppor- tunities, diversify the tax base, and increase social and cultural opportunities. Cleanup of the Gong Bell site will reduce contamination to the Pocotopaug Creek, a tributary of the Connecticut River. Once cleaned up, the site will be used to provide parking in the Village Center and extend the Pocotopaug Creek linear park. ------- |