United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA500-F-00-001
March 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
SEPA Brownfields Cleanup
Revolving Loan Fund Pilots
Stamford, 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 program (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
Stamford (population 110,000) focuses its brownfields
activities on the Stamford Harbor Redevelopment Project,
seeking to restore the harbor area to a major economic and
recreational resource. Restoration of the harbor will also
provide a much-needed economic boost to Stamford's two
lowest-income neighborhoods, Waterside and South End,
which are located within a State Enterprise Zone.
Waterside's population is 71% minority, with 25% of
families living below the poverty level, while South End's
residents are 80% minority with a 16% poverty rate. The
property for the second BCRLF loan represents the first
brownfields redevelopment project in the South End. The
City hopes it will be the catalyst for the cleanup and
redevelopment of the many more sites that exist in the
neighborhood.
In July 1998, EPA selected the City of Stamford for a
Brownfields Demonstration Assessment Pilot. The
Demonstration Assessment Pilot designation is a part of
EPA's commitment to Stamford as a Brownfields Showcase
Community.
Demonstration
redevelopment
neighborhoods
environmental
Stamford has used its $200,000
Assessment Pilot funds to stimulate
of the harbor and the adjoining
Phase I and II
is integrating the
with the Showcase
by conducting
assessments and
Demonstration Assessment Pilot
Community activities.
Blues Brothers, LLC, a contract vendee acting through its
managing member, is the BCRLF borrower for this project.
Blues Brothers, LLC, will purchase the site from the
EPA selected the City of Stamford for a Brownfields
Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (BCRLF) Pilot in September
1999. The BCRLF Pilot is intended to build upon the work
already conducted by the City. Under this program, EPA
has provided the City with $500,000 to capitalize its
revolving loan fund. Using the BCRLF Pilot funds, the
City will provide loans to public and private parties for the
purpose of cleaning up brownfields sites in the City. This
fact sheet summarizes the second loan made by the City
under their BCRLF Pilot.
STRUCTURE OF BCRLF PROGRAM
The City of Stamford through the Stamford Community
Development Office is the Lead Agency for the BCRLF
program and will be responsible for ensuring that
environmental cleanups are done in compliance with all
applicable laws and regulations and that the BCRLF funds
are used for authorized purposes. It will also act as the
fund manager. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USAGE) will assist the City by providing Brownfields Site
Management services. EPA will provide funding to the
USAGE for these services through an Interagency
Agreement. The City will then enter into a Memorandum
of Understanding with the USAGE to outline their
respective roles and responsibilities.
BCRLF BORROWER
current owner, Palmer-Coleman Associates, LLC, and
conduct the abatement and removal of environmental
contamination on the property using BCRLF loan funds.
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Upon cleanup and redevelopment, the property will be
leased for the operation of a retail motorcycle shop,
Harley-Davidson of Stamford and a maintenance facility.
The City will loan the borrower $160,000 for the cleanup of
the site.
BCRLF LOAN LEVERAGING
The BCRLF loan is expected to generate between 5-6 full-
time, permanent retail/repair jobs.
BCRLF CLEANUP SITE
CONTACTS
The proposed site is an irregularly shaped parcel
comprised of five contiguous lots totaling 0.672 acres and
situated in a mixed use area. The site has 2 two-story brick
and masonry buildings that were built in the early 1900s
and cover approximately 30 percent of the available land
space.
Historically, the property at 575 Pacific Street had been
occupied by a machine shop, a knitting mill and a specially
laboratory. The property at 579 Pacific Street had been
used for a laundry facility, an electric motor repair shop, a
plastics research laboratory and cabinet making. The lots
on Garden Street had been occupied by a brass foundry, a
photo engraving shop and an electric motor shop.
Portions of these parcels are currently in use by a religious
group, a knitting firm, and a company that stains and
waxes unfinished furniture. These site are also currently
used for the storage of vehicles, automotive parts, Indian
furniture and art.
Phase I and II site investigations of the property were
completed in May 1999 by Hygenix Inc., a consultant hired
by the borrower. These investigations discovered
chromium, lead, cadmium, and total petroleum
hydrocarbon contamination in soils throughout the site.
The site is also contaminated with benzo(a)anthracene,
benzo(b) flouranthene, benzo(k)flouranthene, and
benzo(a)pyrene. Arsenic was detected on one location on
the site. The contamination was found at concentrations
which exceeded the Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protections Commercial Direct Exposure
Criteria. The Groundwater Protection Criteria was not
applicable to the area based on its GB classification. In
addition, following the Phase II investigation, PCBs were
also found at the site.
Tim Beeble, Stamford Project Coordinator
(203) 977-4864
Sandra Dennies, Stamford Grants Director
(203)977-4190
Lynne Jennings, EPA Region 1 Project Officer
(617)918-1210
U.S. EPA-OSWER
Outreach and Special Projects Staff
(202)260-4039
For additional information, contact the RCRA/ Superfund
Hotline at: (800) 424-9346 or visit the EPA Brownfields
website at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields
Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with
CERCL A, and all CERCL A restrictions on use of funding
also apply to BCRLF funds.
Contamination on the site is believed to be from former
industrial uses including plastics manufacturing and
foundry operations.
PROPOSED SITE REUSE PLAN
Removal of contaminated soil and development into a retail
motorcycle shop, Harley-Davidson of Stamford.
Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
March 2000
Stamford, Cl
EPA 500-F-OO-XXX
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