W Brownfields 2005 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet Stamford, 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. 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 City of Stamford was selected to receive two brownfields cleanup grants. Stamford (population 117,083) is located in the southwestern corner of Connecticut, along the Long Island Sound. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the southern portion of the city was home to numerous commercial and manufacturing facilities. When Stamford transformed from a manufacturing center into a corporate hub, neglected factories, abandoned utility sites, and other deteriorating remnants of the city's heyday remained behind. This area became an "inner-city" neighborhood, with a concentration of impoverished minorities and substandard housing. The target South End historic district has a 24 percent poverty rate, and an 11 percent unemployment rate. It also contains numerous brownfields, and has the city's highest crime rate. Once the sites are cleaned up, they will become part of the Stamford Urban Transitway, a new four-lane facility that will provide direct access to the Stamford Intermodal Transportation Center, enhance the use of bus service, improve transportation mobility of low-income households, and encourage redevelopment opportunities through improved accessibility. The redevelopment will create vital employment opportunities for residents of Stamford's South End and contiguous communities. Cleanup Grant $225,500 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Stamford for two brownfields cleanup grants. Grant funds will be used to clean up and remove soil contaminated by hazardous substances at the Seaboard Equities property at 1 Dock Street. The property was the site of the Stamford Gas Light Company, a coal gasification plant, between 1888 and 1930. Grant funds also will be used to clean up and remove soil contaminated by hazardous substances at 114 Manhattan Street, currently the location of an office building and parking lot. The site previously was the location the Tri-Chem chemical plant. 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 Stamford,CT (203) 977-4190 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) EPA 560-F-05-167 May 2005 ------- |