\   Brownfields 2011  Assessment and Revolving
              Loan Fund Grant  Fact Sheet
              Windham Regional Commission, Southeast Vermont
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 Windham Regional Commission was selected to
receive two brownfields assessment grants and a
brownfields revolving loan fund grant. The Windham
Region (population 46,449) covers a 920-square-mile,
27-town area in Windham, eastern  Bennington, and
southern Windsor Counties. Brownfields in the region are
generally located in or near compact communities,
downtown areas, or village centers that have served as the
social and economic centers for communities since the
early 1800s. Shifts to a global economy, a reduced need
to be near water for power, and the decline in the rail
industry have resulted in many companies closing their
doors or relocating. Median household incomes in the
Town of Brattleboro and Village of Bellows Falls, the
Commission's main focus for assessments, are
significantly lower than county, state, and federal
averages. Between 2000 and 2009, Brattleboro's
manufacturing industry lost 37.6 percent of its jobs.
Brownfield assessments will help the Commission
identify contaminants at sites. Brownfield cleanups
conducted through the  RLF grant will help reduce the risk
of exposure to contaminants, improve water quality, and
restore natural habitats in the area.
                    Assessment Grants

                    $200,000 for hazardous substances
                    $200,000 for petroleum

                    EPA has selected the Windham Regional
                    Commission for two brownfields assessment
                    grants. Community-wide hazardous substances
                    grant funds will be used to conduct five Phase I
                    and five Phase II environmental site assessments
                    and develop cleanup plans for up to three sites.
                    Grant funds also will be used to support
                    community outreach activities. Petroleum grant
                    funds will be used to perform the same tasks at
                    sites with potential petroleum contamination.

                    Revolving Loan Fund Grant

                    $1,000,000 for hazardous substances

                    EPA has selected the Windham Regional
                    Commission for a brownfields revolving loan fund
                    grant. The grant will be used to capitalize a
                    revolving loan fund from which the Windham
                    Regional Commission will provide loans and
                    subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites
                    contaminated with hazardous substances. Grant
                    funds also will be used to market and operate the
                    fund and support community involvement
                    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: Windham Regional
  United States
  Environmental
  Protection Agency
  Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA560-F-128-019
       May 2011

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                                                         Commission,VT
                                                         (802) 257-4547

                                                         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-128-019
        May 2011

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