I Jk; | Brownfields 2004 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet VIT/ Bridgeport, 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 Bridgeport was selected to receive two brownfields cleanup grants. The City of Bridgeport (population 139,529), a federally designated Enterprise Community, is the largest, most densely populated city in Connecticut. More than 62 percent of city residents are minorities, and the city-wide poverty rate is almost 25 percent. Bridgeport's unemployment rate, nine percent, is almost twice that of neighboring communities. The target neighborhood of East End (population 4,089), a predominantly minority community, has been plagued with a high vacancy rate and a substantial number of blighted industrial and residential structures that affect the water quality and limit neighborhood enjoyment of Johnson's Creek. Cleanup and revitalization of the Chrome Engineering site will bring a much needed park to a community with no open greenspace. Cleanup of the Mt. Trashmore site represents tangible progress toward the development of approximately 12 new, affordable, single family homes in the neighborhood. Cleanup Grant $400,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the City of Bridgeport for two brownfields cleanup grants. Grant funds will be used to clean up the former Chrome Engineering site, an electroplating and metal grinding facility, and the Mt. Trashmore site, a former trucking terminal and demolition debris storage area. Cleanup work entails site preparation and excavation and disposal of pre-existing structures and contaminated soils. The sites will be redeveloped as part of a broader plan involving infill housing on more than 50 lots in the East End neighborhood of Bridgeport. 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 Bridgeport,CT (203) 576-8220 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-04-028 Protection Agency Response (5105T) June 2004 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |