I JBt | Brownfields 2006 Assessment 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. 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 Windham Regional Commission was selected to
receive two brownfields assessment grants. The
Commission serves 46,449 people in 27 towns in
southeastern Vermont. Much of the region's economic
base was formed around the plentiful streams and rivers
that provided power for wool, paper, and lumber mills;
munitions manufacturing; foundries; and other industries.
Over the years, many of these industries closed, leaving a
legacy of pollution at numerous brownfields sites. The
Town of Brattleboro is estimated to have as many as 150
brownfields, and the Town of Rockingham has about 75.
While the population has grown in most area towns, the
traditional manufacturing towns have been in decline.
There is a serious shortage of living-wage jobs in the
region. The blighted brownfields have negatively
impacted nearby property values and the tax base,
potentially endangered public health, and deterred
redevelopment. Assessment and eventual cleanup of the
region's brownfields will help protect the health of
residents and local waterways and spur reuse of the
abandoned and underutilized properties. Redevelopment
will create jobs, increase tax revenues, preserve rural
lands, and restore community pride to the Windham
region.
Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
$200,000 for petroleum
EPA has selected the Windham Regional
Commission for two brownfields assessment
grants. Hazardous substances grant funds will be
used to conduct up to four Phase I and Phase II
environmental site assessments and assist with
cleanup planning for up to two sites. Grant funds
also will be used for community outreach and
coordination, especially with low-to-moderate
income residents around the region. Petroleum
grant funds will be used to conduct the same tasks
at petroleum sites.
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
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	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 560-F-06-034
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2006
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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