SB, HI C3 Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet East Hampton, CT EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu- nities, and other stakeholders in economic development to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield 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 con- taminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields 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 Town of East Hampton was selected to receive an assessment grant. This rural town of 11,300 people sits on the Connecticut River, which is an American Heritage River. The town's economy shifted from shipbuilding to manufacturing during the 1800s, and East Hampton became a major industrial center of the Northeast. The probability of contamination at many properties has hindered economic development in the town. Per capita income is lower than state and county averages, and job growth recently has been only half the statewide rate. The assessment of high- priority brownfields will spur sustainable redevelopment of the town's industrial areas, remove blight, help preserve existing open space and river quality, and reduce potential health risks of people in targeted Assessment Grant $175, 000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Town of East Hampton for a brownfields assessment grant. The town has identified 20 potential brownfields sites that will be investigated through this grant. Grant funds will be used to prepare an inventory of brownfields sites and help the community prioritize sites for further assessment. Grant funds also will be used to conduct Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III assessments on a vacant manufacturing site; conduct Phase I assessments on three or four other sites identified during the inventory; and conduct community outreach 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 617-918-1210 http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/ Grant Recipient: Town of East Hampton, CT 860-267-4468 Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the Town of East Hampton has not received brownfields grant funding. The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. areas. Recently, the community identified the brownfields sites as a major impediment to removing East Hampton's blight and improving the economic base. The Town will continue to solicit citizen input through town hall meetings. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 500-F-03-087 June 2003 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |