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  Brownfields  2008

  Grant  Fact Sheet

  Northwest Regional

             Planning

         Commission,

   Northwest  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 this 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. Additionally, funding support is
provided to state and tribal response programs through
a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The Northwest Regional Planning Commission was
selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
The Commission serves 23 municipalities in Grand Isle
and Franklin Counties (combined population 52,318),
which border New York and Canada. The region
historically served as a gateway to New England and a
major transportation corridor for commercial traffic. Its
location encouraged the development of steamboat
landings and shipping ports on Lake Champlain. This
 Assessment Grant
 $200,000 for hazardous substances
 EPA has selected the Northwest Regional Planning
 Commission for a brownfields assessment grant.
 Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
 conduct three Phase I and Phase II environmental
 site assessments, and community involvement
 activities.
 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/regionl/brownfields
 Grant Recipient: Northwest Regional Planning
 Commission, VT
 802-524-5958
 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.
was followed by the development of railroads and then
roads. Brownfields in the region reflect these transpor-
tation shifts. Grand Isle County has been a tourism
destination for nearly 100 years. Franklin County
serves as the center for the state's dairy and maple
syrup production. However, residents face challenges
in finding local employment. Sixty-eight percent of
Grand Isle and 35 percent of Franklin County residents
work outside their county. Brownfields assessments
will reduce uncertainties about brownfield sites and are
expected to encourage the development of cleanup and
redevelopment strategies.
                                               Solid Waste and
                                               Emergency Response
                                               (5105T)
                       EPA560-F-08-212
                       April 2008
                       www.epa.gov/brownfields

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