Brownfields Program

Main Street
Railroad Station
Derby, CT 06418
(203) 735-8688
FAX (203) 735-8680

REGIONAL BROWNFIELDS PARTNERSHIP OF WEST CENTRAL CT
The Valley Council of Governments, through our Regional Brownfields Partnership of West Central CT (RBP), oversees and conducts a range of assistance activities across a 25-town region for the identification, assessment and remediation of Brownfields sites. As members, municipalities pay an annual $800 dues fee. Members are, in turn, eligible to access funding from any of our various programs, including EPA site assessment grants and economic development loans for investigation and remediation for both public and privately-owned sites. The Valley Council of Governments also manages revolving loan funds in conjunction with the state and federal governments that potentially can provide large amounts of money for difficult site cleanups. Please read below to understand our mission and activities in greater detail.

EMAIL: CONTACT RBP / REQUEST INFORMATION

RBP MEETING AGENDA AND MINUTES

CURRENT RESOURCES (as of 5/07)
	•	The RBP has in excess of $500,000 on hand available for site assessments.
	•	The RBP has $807,000 for site cleanup through the Revolving Loan fund.
	•	Larger amounts may be available for project with interested private development capital.

SERVICES
	1.	Site assessment grants
	2.	Clean-up loans
	3.	Brownfields site evaluations at no direct charge
	4.	Consultation on tax foreclosure environmental considerations
	5.	Low cost site assessment management
	6.	Community outreach and educational seminars: Non-point source pollution reduction, developer requirements, site reuse insurance options
	7.	Regulatory interface and coordination
	8.	Information on and access to CT Department of Environmental Protection, CT Department of Economic and Community Development, US Department of Housing and Urban Development related Brownfields programs
	9.	Links to developers
	10.	Anti-blight management assistance on abandoned sites

BROWNFIELDS ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
EPA’s Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse.

EPA is funding:

Assessment

demonstration pilot programs to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models

Job Training

pilot programs to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field

Cleanup

revolving loan fund programs to capitalize loan funds to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields.

These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.

MISSION
The Regional Brownfields Partnership (RBP), formerly the Naugatuck Valley Brownfields Pilot, was established by an EPA grant in November, 1996. The purpose of the RBP is to provide Brownfields management capacity and financial resources for its municipal members. A Brownfield is an abandoned or underutilized, commercial or industrial site with suspected or known contaminants. There are many such sites in the Valley.

MEMBERSHIP
There are 25 communities eligible for RBP grant and loan funding for Brownfields projects. Since 1996, it has assessed over 80 sites, provided educational outreach and received support from EPA, the CT Department of Economic and Community Development, the UCONN Agricultural Extension NEMO Program, the CT Agricultural Station in New Haven, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the Matthies Foundation and others.
Municipal RBP members are Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Derby, Naugatuck, New Britain, Newtown, Oxford, Plainville, Plymouth, Seymour, Shelton, Southington, Thomaston, Waterbury and Watertown. Additionally, the CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) municipalities eligible for funding are Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Prospect, Southbury, Wolcott and Woodbury. The RBP also provides administrative services to the City of Danbury Revolving Loan Cleanup Fund.

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OFFICERS
Chair	Roy Cavanaugh, Watertown
Vice-Chair	Sheila O'Malley, Derby
Secretary/Treasurer	Robyn Bugbee, Bristol

MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES
Ansonia	Elizabeth Lynch
Beacon Falls	Edward Jurzynski
Berlin	James Mahoney
Bristol	Robyn Bugbee
Burlington	Vacant
Derby	Sheila O’Malley
Naugatuck	Wayne McAllister
New Britain	Vacant
Newtown	Richard Eigen
Oxford	Vacant
Plainville	Robert Lee
Plymouth	William Kuehn
Seymour	Ronald Skurat
Shelton	James Ryan
Southington	Vacant
Thomaston	Maura Martin
Waterbury	Adam Rinko
Watertown	Roy Cavanaugh

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Karen Spargo	Valley COG
Samuel Gold	COG of the Central Naugatuck Valley
Jill Harris	Central CT RPA
Elaine LaBella	Housatonic Valley Association
William Purcell	Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce
Jeff Rouleau	Waterbury Regional Chamber
John Leone	Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce
	Congressman Shays' Office
Amanda Freund	Congresswoman DeLauro’s Office
	Congresswoman Murphy ’s Office
	Congressman Larson’s Office

AT-LARGE MEMBERS
Carol Burkhart-Lyons	Naugatuck Valley Project
Tim Carr	Geo Design, Inc.
Del Cummings	Naugatuck Valley Comm. Tech. College

STAFF
Arthur Bogen	VCOG
Rick Dunne	VCOG

Questions may be directed to the Valley Council of Governments.

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DUES Each municipality contributes $800 per year. This income provides for:
	•	staff and supplies to conduct Executive Board and Partnership meetings
	•	monthly reports of project and budget activity
	•	quarterly EPA reports
	•	preliminary site research
	•	community outreach
	•	development of educational programs
	•	liaison for developer and community inquiries

FEES Each community pays fees equal to 10% of the value of an assessment grant. These fees pay for the staff and supplies to:
	•	issue the request for proposal advertisement
	•	conduct public question and answer sessions
	•	prepare of a comparative bid matrix
	•	conduct a meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee
	•	conduct interviews of candidates
	•	advise on scope of work and contract definitions
	•	serve as liaison to regulatory agencies
	•	respond to community and press inquiries

GRANTS AND OTHER INCOME RBP staff has drafted successful applications for additional resources. These include the following:
	•	original EPA grant to establish the Pilot (RBP), $90,000
	•	supplemental EPA grant to expand and continue RBP activities, $110,000
	•	Community Foundation of Greater New Haven for outreach and education, $50,000
	•	Community Foundation of Greater New Haven for regional economic redevelopment of Brownfields sites and an application for a Revolving Loan Fund, $50,000
	•	EPA Showcase grant to develop inter-RBP regional assessment protocols
	•	Matthies Foundation to institute best management practices for non-point pollution at Seymour and RBP Brownfield sites in Partnership with the UCONN NEMO Project, $15,000
	•	Revolving Loan Fund, Danbury - The RBP will receive management fees for developing and administering the $500,000 Danbury Revolving Loan Fund
	•	Revolving Loan Fund - The RBP anticipates fees for loans to be provided for cleanup
	•	Derby Revitalization District - The City is paying the RBP to manage the environmental assessment of the Downtown Revitalization District, $14,800
	•	Jobs Training Grant in partnership with Naugatuck Valley Project, TEAM, Inc., the WorkPlace, Inc. and several corporate partners, $200,000

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Why is it essential for all communities to belong and to participate?

JOBS

Partnership activities help create job opportunities at rejuvenated sites. Brownfields redevelopment at Derby and other communities could provide a range of jobs. New construction also provides temporary work such as at the industrial park site in Beacon Falls. Over the course of time, several hundred new positions could be created.

GROWTH OF GRAND LIST

Many thousands of new taxes will be generated in each community when current projects are completed and contaminated properties are cleaned and returned to productive reuse.

EFFECT ON LOCAL BUSINESSES

Construction activities mean restaurants, gas stations and service providers will be patronized. New retail outlets will be drawn to the traffic created at reused sites. Overall property values will increase.

REVOLVING LOAN FUND

Each Partnership member has access to $350,000 of short-term, low-cost cleanup loans. The objective is to make no interest bridge loans to member municipalities and qualified individuals and companies. Expanded funds are possible after the successful implementation of the program.

REGIONAL LEVERAGE

The Partnership communities have generated capital and expertise usually acquired only by larger cities. EPA and DEP have been very responsive to Partnership projects. Additional resources are more likely to be obtained for a continuing regional effort. Clean water and EPA Brownfields Economic Development grants can be sought through the Partnership by any member.

The Partnership is a working example of regional cooperation and success. Brownfields resources are a vital part of the regional economic incentive package. The assessment and cleanup funds support the state and local Enterprise Zones and tax incentives.

PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
ANSONIA
	1.	Haddad Park – The Partnership provided assessment funds and management of the soil sampling of this site which was converted to use as a park. It is located at a main intersection in the downtown and provides a much appreciated amenity for the adjacent senior housing facility. Provided $850.
	2.	Incinerator Assessment – The Partnership managed an extended Phase II investigation of the site to determine demolition and reuse consideration for the intended construction of a new transfer station. Initial grant of $8500 was supplemented by $7,000 to expand characterization of several areas of concern. Provided $15,500.
	3.	74 Grove Street – The Partnership issued an RFP for a Phase I and II site assessment of this abandoned residential site. The proposed reuse was for new residential construction generating new taxes. The City took a SCPRIF loan from Connecticut to demolish the structures and remove lead and asbestos. Site had extensive car parts and miscellaneous equipment. The Phase I was completed and the soil and groundwater sampling were completed in increments as part of a simultaneous clean up of the site. The City subsequently was able to sell the site and repay the SCPRIF loan. There is a proposal to construct a new two family residence. The removal of the blighted property with its attendant health risks marks a singularly successful cooperation among EPA, DEP, DECD, the City and the VCOG.
	4.	24-26 Beaver Street, Cook Industrial Park – The Partnership was requested to provide assistance in determining the estimated cleanup cost for this century-old industrial site. A Phase I and II had been performed. A plan was implemented to develop information to fill in data gaps. The sampling led to the discovery of a plume of contaminants that was, in part, under one of the buildings in the complex. Staff discussed the situation with the LEP and CTDEP and after a series of meetings, a protocol for additional testing was developed. The Partnership allocated about $41,000 for the assessment work. The site was under consideration for purchase by a company proposing significant employment. Staff continues to work with all parties. At present, the possibility of some CTDEP assistance in cleanup funding is under consideration.
BEACON FALLS
	5.	Nutmeg Bakery-Breault Road – Provided consultation on environmental matters, foreclosure negotiations and repayment of back taxes. Helped recovery of $500,000 in back taxes for the Town by defining areas of concern.
	6.	Pines Bridge Industrial Park – Provided assessment funding to determine ground water quality and soil conditions for proposed purchase by a private company. Assessment led to commitment to build a manufacturing facility with new jobs and taxes for the community. Assessment completed. New factory constructed. Allocation was for $20,000.
	7.	Pines Bridge Industrial Park – Lot 18 was assessed. Owner cleaned up surficial impacts of dumping. Site grading completed.
	8.	Recreational Area – Staff assisted the Town in review of environmental conditions and discussions with O&G regarding the donation of land for a recreational area on the Naugatuck River at Route 42.
	9.	Posick site-Lopus Road – Staff reviewed information provided by CTDEP and others regarding questions about redevelopment of the site.
BRISTOL
	10.	43 East Main Street – The City wanted to know what the exposures were on this site prior to a possible taking due to delinquent back taxes. The Partnership assisted the City with Access Agreements and the process by which the City could obtain the needed data. An RFQ was issued and the work is underway. The result will be a combination of Phase I and II studies leading to a conceptual remedial action plan. The site is in an area of considerable commercial development and should have recapture value for the City depending on the projected cost of the cleanup, if any. Nearly $32,000 has been allocated for the work. Funds from both the EPA Hazardous Waste and Petroleum Grants will be utilized.
	11.	316 Park Street – This site is a closed gasoline station, which is adjacent to a significant City park. The City inquired about the potential to determine what the environmental cost for cleanup would be if the City acquired the site to add to the park. The Partnership staff assisted the City in developing an option agreement on the property so that the assessment would be relevant to the fulfillment of the City’s goal. More than $15,000 has been allocated to the project.
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DERBY
	12.	O'Sullivan's Island Initial Investigation – The Partnership conducted an initial assessment of this site where buried drums of industrial waste were discovered and removed in 1984. Contamination was found. Provided $18,799
	13.	O'Sullivan's Island Secondary Investigation – Staff helped the City respond to the contaminated conditions. Staff served as the interface with the EPA assigned contractors who performed the extended site assessment under an EPA Targeted Site Assessment grant. Staff helped to develop a proposal for an experimental phytoremediation project in conjunction with the CT Agricultural Station.
	14.	O’Sullivan’s Island – With funding from EPA, the Partnership conducted a study to develop a conceptual Remedial Action Plan. The study developed several approaches to remediation as well as the anticipated costs for the cleanup.
	15.	O’Sullivan’s Island – The VCOG approved a loan to the City to demolish the abandoned structures on the site. The project will also sample the soil under the former building and pad sites to determine if there is contamination at any location. VCOG staff arranged for the loan to conduct the work through its DECD loan fund.
	16.	Parcel 20 – This is a site adjacent to the former DOT site mentioned below. The City asked for the assessment to determine what conditions were there, should the City consider acquisition of the site for future development.
	17.	Downtown Revitalization District – Staff coordinated the development of the environmental assessment scope of work and the selection of the contractor who performed Phase I, II and III assessments and developed a Remedial Action Plan. Staff has conducted a walking tour of the area and participated in community and developer informational meetings. Partnership funded the conceptual RAP.
	18.	Hines Farm – Assessment of soil and groundwater conditions to determine if site was suitable for a new high school. Extensive testing for pesticides and herbicides. $26,000 allocated.
	19.	44-46 Commerce Street – The Partnership provided guidance and funding for a Phase II study leading to a Remedial Action Plan. The site has been approved for redevelopment of 18,000 square feet of industrial space.
	20.	160 Elizabeth Street – Funding was provided for Phase II investigation and for a conceptual remedial action plan. The impetus for the assessment was the consideration of the site for parking for the adjacent City Community Center. The site has been transferred to a company that will relocate out of the downtown redevelopment district.
NAUGATUCK
	21.	Church Street Municipal Parking Lot – Phase I conducted in 2006. Phase II underway. The assessment is being conducted to prepare the site for possible inclusion in the proposed downtown redevelopment area.
	22.	Parcel B-Water Street – Staff reviewed the conditions discovered in the assessment previously performed on the site to assist the Borough in its understanding of the site.
PROSPECT
	23.	US Cap site, Route 69 – Staff discussed the situation with the Mayor regarding the former US Cap site due to interest by a developer.
SEYMOUR
	24.	Silvermine Landfill – The Partnership helped negotiate the terms of an option to develop this 10.3-acre former municipal landfill. Staff coordinated the assessment with DEP and arranged for the assessment funding through EPA. Allocated $60,000.
SHELTON
	25.	Axton Cross – The Partnership funded the RFP to perform an expanded assessment of the soil and groundwater conditions of this site that is part of the downtown redevelopment project. Allocated $15,000. Additional sampling has been requested.
	26.	Farmer’s Market – The Partnership provided funding to do some soil sampling as part of the development of data for a final cleanup plan that the City developed. The site has a wonderful new facility that has become the community social asset that the City envisioned.
	27.	Area Congregations Together – Partnership members approved performing a Phase II soil and groundwater assessment for the Area Congregations Together, which considered a Riverdale Ave. site for a new homeless shelter. $10,000 was allocated. It was eventually determined that the site was unsuitable for reasons other than environmental causes, and the project was terminated prior to completion.
	28.	Bridge Street Site – The Partnership received a request for site assessment to determine the soil and groundwater conditions prior to the renovation of this former mill building. The results were relevant to the evaluation and eventual decision in the redevelopment of the site as market rate housing. The construction is underway at this time.
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THOMASTON
	29.	Plume and Atwood – The Partnership assisted DECD in the review of site data. It coordinated the regulatory review of the terms and conditions of the Remedial Action Plan and assisted in the development of the conclusions.
	30.	Plymouth Glass Site-Main Street – Staff discussed assessment process and status with DEP, Owner and First Selectperson.
WATERBURY
	31.	Freight St. Corridor – Staff worked with DEP and the City to define many of the issues in a comprehensive review of environmental matters in planning for reuse.
	32.	Chase Brass Dump Site off Thomaston Avenue – Partnership staff assisted the City in defining the issues leading up to an EPA decision to conduct an emergency removal at the site. The Partnership may offer assessment assistance for closure activities.
	33.	Bunker Hill Park – Staff worked with the City, the owner, community groups and DEP to arrive at a resolution of the diverse issues. An environmental and health risk assessment was performed. Allocation of $15,000 determined that some additional sampling was required to determine how to mitigate some wood ash concerns. DEP conducted additional work. The renovation of the park was completed.
	34.	Bristol Babcock Site - 37 Bristol Street – The Partnership funded a Phase I and II assessment for the site. There are conditions that will need to be addressed in any proposed reuse.
	35.	40 Bristol Street – The Partnership funded a Phase I and II for this site.
	36.	777-835 South Main Street – Staff reviewed information about both sites in an effort to determine what needs to be addressed prior to reuse.
	37.	Waterbury Industrial Commons - 1875 Thomaston Avenue – Staff reviewed documents provided by the City to discuss the environmental conditions on the site.
	38.	Harper Leeder - 1046 South Main Street – Staff discussed status of site with DEP and EPA to start to understand what additional data would be needed before reuse plans could be prepared.
WATERTOWN
	39.	Steele Brook Greenway – Staff met with several of the interested parties, including DEP, reviewed available data and made recommendations to the Town as to how to proceed.
	40.	Pin Shop Dam - 20 Main Street, Oakville – Phase I was performed, in part, to determine relationship of the Responsible Party to the current situation. A Phase II is underway. The proposed outcome is to determine the cleanup costs, if any, of an area that the owner proposes to donate to the Town for the proposed greenway.
	41.	Baird Road Site – Staff discussed assessment with the Town staff considering the purchase of the site adjacent to the landfill.
	42.	Greenway Park – The Town engaged the Partnership to conduct an assessment of three acres intended for a Greenway trail. Allocation is for $8,500.
OTHER SITES AND PROJECTS
43-	50.	Radium Cleanup Grant – The Partnership was asked by DEP to manage an assessment and cleanup of multiple sites in New Haven, Bristol, Meriden, Waterbury and Thomaston. The first phase of work was completed. Significant additional costs were incurred due the discovery of sheet asbestos in some of the first areas to be worked on for radium removal. There are still areas of concern that may be addressed if the proposal for additional funding is presented and accepted.
	51.	DECD Funding – The Partnership has a contract with DECD to administer a $500,000 fund from the Department to conduct assessments in the region. The original 10 communities in the Partnership region were expanded to embrace a total of 25 communities that are eligible for funding under this program. These projects are separate from any EPA requests.
	52.	Derby - DOT Parcel – This is a 27-acre piece that the City sought to acquire for industrial development. Partnership staff reviewed environmental data received from the CT DOT. CT DEP provided more than $50,000 of Brownfields-related assessment on the site. In conjunction with the City and DEP, the VCOG staff developed a remedial approach to remove the one area of PCB contamination. The City now has the information to develop a RAP when the final plan for reuse is developed.
	53.	Derby Landfill Site – The Partnership staff looked at the status of environmental conditions of land adjacent to the former landfill for use as ballfields.
	54.	Naugatuck – The Partnership was asked by the Borough to help develop preliminary environmental considerations for the reuse of a Uniroyal parcel. Staff discussed the areas of concern and informed the Borough of what resources would be available.
	55.	Seymour - NEMO Project – The Partnership has initiated a program for non-point pollution management at Brownfields sites that receive assessment funding.
	56.	Regionwide. The Partnership participated in a Brownfields Job Training grant to employ regional people in Partnership site cleanup projects.
	57.	Ansonia, Palmer Building – The VCOG staff assisted the City in the development and review of proposals to conduct a Phase II assessment of this site as part of the City’s consideration that it might sell the parcel.
	58.	Plymouth - Hart Site – The Town engaged the Partnership to assist in developing a plan for the implementation of a cleanup on the site. Staff is also assisting the Town in a discussion of the possible acquisition of related sites.
	59.	Other sites – In addition to the specific projects detailed above, the VCOG staff has looked at situations at as many as twenty other sites.


Environmental Protection Agency	Information on the EPA's Brownfields Economic Development Initiative

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