United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA500-F-99-072 May 1999 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ >>EPA Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot Hartford, CT Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101) Quick Reference Fact Sheet EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans forthe environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment. BACKGROUND The City ofHartford has experienced an unprecedented loss of industry and population over the last 10 years. Hartford had been a major industrial city with heavy industry such as firearms production, aerospace industries, metal fabrication, industrial meters and gauges, and business machines. Of the more than 1,100 acres of land once devoted to income-producing uses; however, 30 percent has been abandoned since 1986. The loss of white collar and defense industry jobshasleft26percentofHartford's 130,000 residents living under the poverty level. The unemployment rate in 1998 was 5.8 percent - more that double the rate of unemployment in the State of Connecticut. Incinerator ash left from a time when it was used as fill dirt for property, and hazardous substances from plating and manufacturing processes are common impediments to redevelopment. Approximately one-third ofHartford's land zoned for industrial or commercial purposes could be classified as brownfields. Hartford is a Brownfields Assessment Pilot. BCRLF OBJECTIVES The Hartford BCRLF will allow the City to offer incentive s to new industry and commercial ventures to locate on the City's pilot sites, and to create new PILOT SNAPSHOT Hartford, Connecticut Date of Announcement: May 25,1999 Amount: $500,000 BCRLF Target Area: Twenty contaminated sites including sites in Colt Park South, Upper Albany, Colt Armory Complex, and the Parkville Neighborhood. Contacts: Assistant City Manager, Hartford Redevelopment Agency (860) 543-8655 Region 1 Brownfields Coordinator ((617) 918-1209 Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/region01/remed/brnfld/ For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ ------- business in the City. BCRLF funds will be used in cases where a site' s contamination deters lending institutions from providing financing forthe cost of site remediation and project development. Hartford's BCRLF targets the following sites: • Colt Park South — possible site for light industrial uses • Upper Albany — on a major commuter route into downtown, currently site of illegal dumping, chop shops, drug houses, and alcohol stills • Colt Armory Complex — a 760,000 square foot industrial complex on 16.6 acres • Parkville Neighborhood—an industrial/rail corridor along the neighborhood's south side FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS The City of Hartford will serve as the lead agency, and the City Manager as fund manager. The City will be selecting a site manager. One hundred percent of the $500,000 award will be made available as loan capital. Community Development Block Grant or general funds will be used to cover anticipated administrative costs. LEVERAGING Funds from the City Manager's Site Remediation Fund, as well as state sources of funding such as Urban Act Bond Funds and Urban Sites Remediation Funds, will be used in conjunction with the BCRLF. Federal sources of funds include the $100,000 from the Community Development Block Grant program and the Economic Development Initiative. The City's partnerships with small businesses, community organizations, and neighborhood groups will help to ensure that "spin off development is maximized. Staff time from the City Manager and Corporation Counsel' s Offices will be provided as in-kind services. Legal fees, audit, and program evaluation costs also will be provided. Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of funding also apply to BCRLF funds. Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot Hartford, Connecticut May 1999 EPA 500-F-99-072 ------- |