09/29/2015
Gov. Malloy Announces Available Support to Towns and Cities for Brownfield Redevelopment
Gov. Malloy Announces Available Support to Towns and Cities for Brownfield Redevelopment
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is accepting applications for $7.5 million in grants that will be awarded to help clean up former industrial sites in communities throughout the state, revitalizing these properties to put them back into productive use. Made available through the Connecticut Brownfield Remediation program, a total of $6.5 million will be earmarked for remediation projects and $1 million will be used for assessment projects.
"Revitalizing abandoned, blighted, and vacant properties spurs new investments, new development, and new jobs," Governor Malloy said. "We've taken extraordinary steps already, and this is just another effort to transform neighborhoods."
"Remediated brownfields sites have helped transform communities adding housing, retail, entertainment, and business centers," Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. "Cleaning up these properties creates additional tax revenue for cities and towns, but even more significantly, it puts land back to work for residents."
Eligible applicants for grant funding include municipalities and economic development agencies. Grant applicants can request funding of up to $2 million for remediation projects and up to $200,000 for assessment projects.
"DECD is overseeing major investments in brownfield redevelopment because these projects can do so much revitalize local economies and restore community pride by transforming these idle sites into beneficial community assets," DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith said.
"Redevelopment of brownfields is a win for our economy and for the environment," Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Robert J. Klee said. "Cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated properties protects human health and the environment and helps our economy to grow by transforming vacant or underutilized sites into community assets. This takes advantage of existing roads, water, sewer and other infrastructure while lessening development pressure on open space. DEEP looks forward to continuing to work with DECD on these important projects."
"Under Governor Malloy, Connecticut has become a national leader in redeveloping brownfields, with critical projects advancing in communities in every corner of the state," DECD Deputy Commissioner Tim Sullivan said. "For projects funded in the last fiscal year, $6.53 was committed by non-state partners for every dollar invested by the state. We look forward to working with cities and towns to bring even more sites back to life through this new round of funding."
Applications must be submitted to DECD electronically to brownfields@ct.gov no later than 4:00 p.m. on November 16, 2015.
For information about the application process or other brownfield redevelopment programs, visit www.ctbrownfields.gov.