Brownfields
Success Story
Three Rivers Trailhead
St. Johnsbury, VT
The cleanup of an abandoned 0.21-acre brownfield in St. Johnsbury has
allowed the town to connect to New England's longest rail trail system and
bring new life and vitality into the community.
History
In 2012, the town of St. Johnsbury bought the property at 195 Bay St.
through a tax sale. The property has a history of commercial and industrial
uses that may have contributed to environmental concerns. Originally a place
used for "fill" along the Passumpsic River, the property over the last century
had been used for blacksmithing, automobile servicing, bottling, plumbing &
heating, furniture finishing, and other commercial uses. Thanks to its EPA
Brownfields assessment grant, the town of St, Johnsbury was able to use
$35,256 in EPA funding to conduct a Phase 2 assessment of the site to
determine the nature and extent of contamination. The Vermont Department
of Environmental Conservation contributed another $3,000 of its EPA funding
to help assess the site. Asbestos-containing materials were found in the
building and low levels of petroleum and other contaminants were detected
in the ground.
Once the town was able to acquire the property, they were ready to move
ahead with plans to revitalize it as a trailhead for the rail trail. In 2014, the
DEC determined that the low-level contamination in the ground was
adequately addressed by keeping it capped and secured with a notice to the
land records. However, the dilapidated building remained, and it could not be
demolished until the asbestos was removed. In 2019, the Vermont Agency of
Commerce and Community Development gave the town $35,000 from its
Brownfields revolving loan fund, which paid to remove the asbestos in the
summer of 2.019 after which the town safely demolished the building. The
trailhead, a shelter, and a bike rack were built in 2.019.
v>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Completed Three Rivers Trailhead (photo credit NVDA)
EPA Grant Recipient:
Town of St. Johnsbury
Grant Types:
Assessment and Cleanup
Current Use:
Trailhead
Former Uses:
Blacksmithing, automobile servicing,
plumbing & heating, bottling, furniture
finishing, and other commercial uses
Bicycle Rental Building (photo credit NVDA)

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Lamoille Valley Rail Trail
Art installation at the Three Rivers Trailhead
(photo credit Northeast Vermont
Developm en t Association)
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail is an ongoing project in Vermont focused on
connecting communities and providing outdoor recreational opportunities
across the northern part of the state. The idea has been in the works for
about 20 years and 33 miles have been finished so far. The trail recently
received state funding and is scheduled to be finished by 2023, Once
complete, the 93-mile trail will connect Vermont towns all the way from St,
Johnsbury to Swanton, making it New England's longest rail trail. It is
expected to bring in tourism to help rebuild the economy of towns along the
route.
Construction to connect the Three Rivers Bike Trail - the last 1.5-mile section
of trail leading up to St. Johnsbury - to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail was
finished in September 2020, making St. Johnsbury the starting point at the
eastern end of the trail, EPA Brownfields funding, including $38,256 for
assessing the contamination and $35,000 for cleanup, enabled the town to
remove the rundown building and create the new trailhead.
The Three Rivers Trailhead Today
The project gives residents of St. Johnsbury access to an exciting statewide
outdoor recreation asset and a more walkable community. By cleaning up
this brownfield and connecting the community to the Lamoille Valley trail,
the town can attract cyclists, hikers, tourists, and naturalists which will in
turn help support the local economy.
Since the project began, new businesses have come to the area and old
businesses have been able to renovate and recover. For example, a local
distillery and a microbrewery have been growing thanks to the trailhead
project. The trailhead has also started to foster new business ventures such
as a bike rental company, micro food vendors, and hostels that will be aimed
at bringing in tourism and business growth to the St. Johnsbury area in the
near future. These successes have caused the town to pursue other growth
opportunities, including plans for more off-road sections of the path that lead
to the river.
For more information:
Visit the EPA Brownfields website at www.epa.gov/browrifields or contact
Frank Gardner at 617 918 1278 or gardner.frank@epa.gov
for informational use only no endorsement intended
EPA 901 F 21 009
October 2021

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