Brownfields Assessment Coalition
Introduction
Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECOG), in partnership with Eastern Connecticut Land Bank (ECLB) and CT RC&D, has been awarded $1,200,000 through EPA’s Brownfield Assessment Coalition Grant Program to support environmental assessment, community engagement, and redevelopment planning in Preston, Windham, and Sprague.
This funding will be used to conduct Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) at five properties in three different SECOG municipalities: 16 Halls Mill Rd, Preston; 11 Machine Shop Hill Rd, Windham; 322B Main St, Windham; 130 Inland Rd, Sprague; and 29 Bushnell Hollow Rd, Sprague. The grant will also fund the identification and assessment of additional potentially contaminated properties in the SECOG region.
How does the program work?
SECOG and project partners will hire environmental consultants to conduct Environmental Site Assessments for each property, a critical first step in bringing vacant or underused brownfield properties back into productive use. Identifying potential contamination and clarifying the existing environmental conditions at these five priority sites will allow for a clear and structured pathway for municipal leaders, community members, and property owners to plan for cleanup and strategic reuse.
Grant funds will also enable SECOG and project partners to work closely with community members regarding the future redevelopment of these properties. Three community liaisons will be hired during the grant period to help the project team develop local community engagement opportunities that will reach target audiences and execute engagement activities focused on small group conversations. Multiple public engagement events will also be held as opportunities for community members to explore potential options for the reuse of sites after clean-up.
How is CT RC&D is assisting?
Collaboratively spearheading community engagement efforts with SECOG to keep local communities involved in project progress.
Assisting in facilitating community-based conversations and engagement sessions.
Providing support to SECOG through CT RC&D’s Environmental Review Team to review Site Reuse Assessments for five sites.
What is a Brownfield?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a Brownfield as “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.”
Brownfields Assessment Process
Phase I Environmental Site Assessments involve a site visit and a review of municipal, historical, and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) records. The site’s background, previous uses, and history of hazardous material releases are examined to determine the potential types and locations of contamination.
Phase II Environmental Site Assessments include sampling and analysis of soil, groundwater, and other environmental media, guided by the findings of the Phase I Assessment. This phase also involves preparing recommendations for cleanup options and providing cost estimates for remediation.
Phase III Remedial Action Planning involves creating a detailed cleanup plan for the site. Various cleanup strategies are assessed for their cost and effectiveness, with the remediation plan tailored to the intended future use of the site.
Brownfields and Public Health
Addressing brownfield sites through assessment, remediation, and redevelopment is vital for ensuring community health. Assessment involves identifying hazardous materials that may pose a risk to human health or the environment. Various cleanup options are then evaluated to determine the most efficient and effective methods to mitigate these risks. Remediation includes the removal or containment of hazardous materials, reducing the risk of human exposure, and paving the way for the eventual reuse of the site. Redevelopment of remediated sites can meet community health needs, promote sustainability, and address environmental justice issues. The preservation of green spaces, boosting the local economy, and creation of job opportunities are all potential effects of brownfields redevelopment.
This project is made possible in part through partnership with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and Eastern Connecticut Land Bank.