Gov. Malloy Announces Funding Under Innovative New Program to Help Clean Up and Reactivate Brownfields in Six Conn. Municipalities

Press Release

Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that six municipalities in the state - East Hartford, Meriden, New Britain, Old Saybrook, Waterbury, and Torrington - are being awarded over $1 million in state grants to develop plans for remediating and developing clusters of brownfield sites.

The funds are being awarded through the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Brownfield Area-Wide Revitalization (BAR) Grant program, a pilot program Governor Malloy signed into law last summer that encourages communities to consider areas such as neighborhoods, downtowns, waterfront districts, or other sections with multiple brownfields and develop strategies to assess, clean up, and reuse the parcels for business, housing, and public amenities that will generate jobs and revenues and revitalize the entire area.

"We are committed to remediating brownfield sites in all corners of our state, because this type of redevelopment creates jobs and improves quality of life. If we are to build more vibrant communities, if we are to make Connecticut the most competitive in the region for business, then we need to tackle brownfields. That's why we've invested an extraordinary amount in redeveloping otherwise unusable sites," Governor Malloy said. "This new brownfields program is rewarding the communities that are prepared to undertake major developments for blighted areas. The municipalities chosen have demonstrated that they are committed and willing to strategically transform their communities."

"This funding demonstrates our continued commitment to Connecticut cities and towns, and our economic development," Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. "Beyond the clear benefits of removing toxins and poisons from our environment, brownfield remediation is another partnership between state government and local communities that improves the quality of life for residents, creates jobs, and restores land to viability."

"These latest investments reaffirm the fact that Connecticut is a leader in brownfield redevelopment, not only in terms of dollars invested but also in the creative new ways we are collaborating with municipalities and other organizations to overcome obstacles to redevelopment," DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith said.

"Many cities and towns across Connecticut are burdened by multiple brownfields in an area or neighborhood. Determining how to best clean up and reuse these sites is a challenge that requires both a strong technical understanding of the contamination on each site and an understanding of what type of reuse will best serve a neighborhood and its residents," Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Rob Klee said. "These grants will help cities and towns to consider brownfield redevelopment in a holistic manner that protects human health and the environment and considers what is best for a neighborhood and its residents. DEEP is proud to continue to work with cities and towns, the private sector, DECD and other state and federal agencies to set a national example of how brownfield redevelopment can be a win for both the economy and the environment."

"Successful brownfield redevelopment starts with comprehensive planning, and this new program was created by Governor Malloy to empower municipalities to do the critical upfront work necessary for transformative neighborhood revitalization," DECD Deputy Commissioner Tim Sullivan said. "We are excited to partner with these six cities and towns over the next two years to develop specific, actionable plans that will clean up multiple brownfields, leverage private investment and bring jobs and new economic activity to long-dormant corridors throughout the state."

DECD is awarding funding to the following municipalities:

East Hartford: $200,000 grant for comprehensive planning of the Silver Lane Corridor while identifying and studying the redevelopment potential of targeted brownfield sites

Meriden: $100,000 grant to complete a retail, arts, and cultural plan for the Transit Oriented Development District, which includes 35 brownfield sites

New Britain: $200,000 grant for detailed site planning and redevelopment, environmental analyses, and identification of a Master Developer for potential Transit Oriented Development sites around the East Main Street CTfastrak station

Old Saybrook: $200,000 grant for an implementation plan to redevelop the easternmost corridor of Route 1 (Mariner's Way) into a boulevard of reinvigorated marine and recreation uses

Torrington: $200,000 grant to establish and implement a comprehensive brownfield redevelopment strategy supported by focus-area market analyses and community outreach in the downtown area along the east and west branches of the Naugatuck River

Waterbury: $140,000 grant to develop a strategy to improve and transform the Mad River Redevelopment Corridor in the city's south end focusing on five brownfield parcels

This pilot planning funding round was open to municipalities, economic development agencies, and regional councils of government. The grants, up to $200,000, are awarded on a competitive basis and can be used for community visioning processes, market studies, mapping, inventory, infrastructure and streetscape planning, and conceptual designs. One of the requirements of the BAR Program is the establishment of an advisory/steering committee consisting of a range of public and private stakeholders that will be present through not only the visioning and planning phase but also through implementation of recommended actions.

BAR project areas can either be already designated areas such as a neighborhood, district, corridor, downtown, or waterfront zone - all with multiple brownfields - or an area newly defined by the applicant with multiple brownfield sites connected by blighted conditions, shared infrastructure, and other economic, social, or environment considerations.

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