United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA500-F-00-139
May 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
EPA Brownfields Cleanup
Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
Berlin, CT
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
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 for the 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
Berlin is a small suburban town located in central
Connecticut. Typical of many smaller New England
communities, Berlin has identified a number of
brownfields sites. The Town is surrounded by four
cities and towns designated by the State as distressed
"Enterprise Zone" communities. The Town will serve
as a model for the administration of brownfields
redevelopment by a small community. Berlin has long
been industrialized and has numerous idle, abandoned,
or underutilized sites. Many of the brownfields sites are
in prominent locations that are having a blighting
influence on the community. The Town has developed
some innovative mechanisms to encourage site
investigation, remediation, and redevelopment. It is
one of the first communities in the State to sell tax liens
on brownfields sites.
BCRLF OBJECTIVES
Berlin will use its BCRLF Pilot for gap financing. The
Town also intends to contribute employment
opportunities to the regional economy including
making jobs available to residents of Berlin and
contiguous Enterprise Zone communities.
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
May 2000
Amount: $500,000
BCRLF Target Area:
Sites throughout the Town of
Berlin
Berlin, Connecticut
Contacts:
Town of Berlin Economic
Development Division
(860) 828-7005
Region 1 BCRLF
Coordinator
(617)918-1210
Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at:
www.epa.gov/region01/waste/brown/index.htm
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
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Potential sites for BCRLF loans include the former
National Automatics Products Company (NAPCO)
property, the former Circuits, Inc. site, the Christian
Lane site, and two tax delinquent properties that the
Town is monitoring.
FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
The Town of Berlin's Economic Development
Department will serve as lead agency. Other
participating town entities will include the Fire
Marshal, the Finance Department, the Department of
Development Services, and the Town Attorney. The
US Army Corps of Engineers will serve as site
manager. The Town will hire a Connecticut-licensed
environmental professional to work with the Corps of
Engineers. A fund manager will be selected by
competitive bid. It is anticipated that three to four loans
will be made with the initial capitalization.
LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES
Berlin will complement the BCRLF program with
additional town services and administrative
contributions. In the past, the Town has sold tax liens
at a discount and reduced the assessment on properties
during investigation and cleanup periods to support
brownfields remediation. The Town will continue to
make this investment in properties to stimulate
brownfields property reuse.
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 Berlin, Connecticut
May 2000 EPA 500-F-00-139
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