United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response(5101)
EPA500-F-99-109
June 1999
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
SEPA
Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
New Milford, 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 brownfieldstofacilitatecleanupofbrownfieldssites and preparetrainees for future employmentintheenvironmental
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
EPA has selected the Town of New Milford for a
Brownfields Pilot. New Milford is a small, rural town
in western Connecticut with a population of 25,658,
whose per capita income is below the state average.
One of the largest pieces of commercial/industrial
property in the town is the 72-acre former Century
Brass Products mill site, which has a desirable location
near a natural gas pipeline and a rail line. The site's
environmental and economic impact on the community
has been significant: the property represents 13
percent of the town's industrially zoned land, but has
not contributed to the local tax base since it was
abandoned 13 years ago. As a result, the town loses
approximately $80,000 in taxes each year that the
property remains unproductive.
The Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) and the U.S. EPA have both been
involved in overseeing the assessment and cleanup of
known metal hydroxide sludge and polychlorinated
biphenyl (PCB) contamination at the site. As the site
is located at the confluence of the Aspetuck and
Housatonic Rivers, DEP and EPA have advised the
town that the PCB spillage on the site may pose a
threat to the rivers or residents downstream, either
through direct contact or through well water. Although
PILOTSNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
June 1999
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets a
72-acre former brass mill site
located at the confluence of
theAspetuckand Housatonic
Rivers.
New Milford, Connecticut
Contacts:
Town of New Milford
(860) 355-6010
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA-Region 1
(617)573-9681
Visit the EPA Region 1 Brownfields web site at:
http://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/
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some assessment and cleanup work has been
performed at the site, additional assessment is needed
to determine the extent of the PCB contamination and
any remaining hydroxide contamination.
OBJECTIVES
The Pilot-funded assessment and cleanup planning
will seek to overcome a barrier that many small, rural
communities face—lack of assessment financing
which generally gets targeted to distressed urban
areas. The Pilot will determine the extent of the PCB
and sludge contamination and provide cleanup cost
estimates to help prepare the site for cleanup and
redevelopment. In conj unction with the Pilot activities,
the town is pursuing a foreclosure action to clear the
property's title of more than $8 million in back taxes
and other liens. These activities will help eliminate the
potential environmental and health risks posed at the
site and return the property to productive use.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS ANDACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Reviewing prior assessments performed at the site;
• Performing additional assessments to determine the
current extent of sludge and PCB contamination;
• Developing cleanup plans for the site; and
• Conducting outreach through newsletters and a
community forum.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot New Milford, Connecticut
June 1999 EPA500-F-99-109
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