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I rw Brownfields 2003 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
Rutland Regional Planning Commission, VT
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. Abrownfield 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 Rutland Regional Planning Commission was selected
to receive an assessment grant. The population of the 26
communities in this rural region ranges from 300 to 4,300
residents. Only the City of Rutland, which has received a
prior brownfields assessment grant, is excluded from the
commission's regional grant. Rutland's economy has
undergone a significant shift in the past thirty years as
traditional industries have slowly disappeared due to
changes in the economy. In particular, there has been a
dramatic loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector. Median
household income in the area served by the commissi on is
below state and national medians. With stagnant
economies, many Vermont towns can barely afford basic
services, such as education, healthcare, and snow
removal. Brownfields redevelopment will help improve
the long-term economic health of the region, create
living-wage jobs, address housing shortages, and generate
new recreational opportunities for tourism.
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Rutland Pv.egional Planning
Commission for a brown fields assessment grant.
Acting on the behalf of 26 member communities,
the commission will conduct environmental
assessments on sites selected through an inclusive
community process. Grant funds also will be used
to inventory sites in the member communities and
to conduct an outreach campaign to property
owners, local residents, business groups, and other
stakeholders.
Contacts
For farther 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 go v/brownfi el d s).
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team
(617) 913-1424
EPA Poegion 1 Brownfields Web site
(http: //www. ep a go v/regi onl/bro wnfi el d s)
Grant Pv.ecipient: Rutland Regional Planning
Cornrnission,VT
(802) 775-0371
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	c lid W-:J-
Environmental	arri Fmprnpnrv	EPA500-F-03-177
P ictedi cn .agency	Response C5105T)	J me 2003
Washington, D C 20450	Ke^onse i&i I)

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