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Brownfields 2009 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
February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into
law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The
Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our
economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law
provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to
award grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial
and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide
financial assistance to eligible applicants through four
competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving
loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants.
Community Description
The Windham Regional Commission was selected to
receive two brownfields assessment grants. The
Commission serves 27 southeastern Vermont towns
(combined population 46,449). Assessment activities will
target densely settled downtowns and villages, especially
Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, which are towns with
historic commercial and industrial centers. Shifting
economic patterns, a reduced need to be near water for
power, and a shrinking rail industry have led to industrial
decline in the region. Many regional industries have
closed or relocated, leaving behind vacant and underused
buildings. Brattleboro contains 68 hazardous substances
and 20 petroleum brownfield sites. Bellows Falls contains
28 hazardous substances and 21 petroleum brownfield
sites. The per capita incomes in these targeted towns are
significantly lower than the county, state, and national
levels. Additionally, 15.3 percent of Brattleboro's
residents and 12.6 percent of Bellows Falls' residents live
below the poverty level. The assessment of brownfields is
expected to be the first step in site cleanup and
redevelopment.

Assessment Grants
$200,000 for hazardous substances
(Recovery Act Funding)
$200,000 for petroleum (Recovery Act
Funding)
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.
Grant funds also will be used to inventory
brownfields, conduct cleanup planning, and
support community outreach activities. Petroleum
grant funds will be used to conduct the same tasks
at sites with potential petroleum contamination.
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-09-135
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2009
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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