Brownfields 2009 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet New London, 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 City of New London was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. Located in southeastern Connecticut, New London (population 27,674) is a small city, occupying only 5.7 square miles. It was designated the state's sixth most distressed municipality in 2007. More than 36 percent of area residents are minorities, and nearly 16 percent live below the poverty level. The median household income in the city is significantly lower than the state median. As in many other older cities, virtually all the parcels available for development are brownfield sites. Almost all the land in the targeted Fort Trumbull area has been impacted by previous landfill activities. The area has been home to various industries, including a bottling works, a gas station, and a junkyard. Prime real estate in the area cannot be used because of uncertainties regarding brownfield site conditions. Brownfield assessments will provide information about environmental conditions that is expected to help the city promote tax-generating redevelopment of the Fort Trumbull area. Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of New London for a brownfields assessment grant. Community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct seven Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments within the city's Fort Trumbull area. Grant funds also will be used to conduct cleanup planning and support 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 (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: City of New London,CT (860) 447-5247 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-09-112 May 2009 ------- |