Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet ™ Naugatuck, CT EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states. communities, and other stakeholders 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 contaminant. In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help states and communities around the country cleanup and revitalize brownfields sites. Under this 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 Borough of Naugatuck was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Naugatuck (population 31,931) is located along the Naugatuck River in western Connecticut. Beginning in the 1800s, the borough was a vibrant manufacturing community and a center of the worldwide rubber industry. Rubber manufacturing facilities dominated downtown Naugatuck for almost 150 years. By the end of the 20th century, rubber and other significant local industries had left the area. This manufacturing legacy left the borough with aging, underused brownfields. Half the workforce commutes to other communities for employment. Naugatuck has the second lowest median household income and the second highest unemployment rate in its labor market area. The borough has created a community-backed redevelopment plan, known as Renaissance Place, to revitalize its downtown. Assessment of the downtown area's brownfields will help the borough identify the cleanup activities required to redevelop key properties. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Borough of Naugatuck for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to perform at least four Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to conduct cleanup planning. 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 (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team (617)918-1424 EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/regionl/bro wnfields) Grant Recipient: Borough of Naugatuck,CT (203) 720-7006 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA560-F-09-171 May 2009 ------- |