Brownfields include land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes.
Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development is inviting municipalities and economic development agencies to apply for $7.5 million in state grants to clean up former industrial sites.
The state agency is accepting applications for funding to redevelop so-called brownfields. These sites include land that was previously used for industrial or commercial purposes. The sites may be contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution.
The intent of the state grants is to bring new life and investment to abandoned, blighted, and vacant properties.
According to a press release Wednesday, grant applicants can request funding of up to $2 million for remediation projects and up to $200,000 for assessment projects.
Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman believes that Connecticut's communities will benefit greatly from this redevelopment.
"Remediated brownfields sites have helped transform communities adding housing, retail, entertainment, and business centers," Wyman said in the press release. "Cleaning up these properties creates additional tax revenue for cities and towns, but even more significantly, it puts land back to work for residents."
Cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated property protects health and the environment while spurring economic growth. Economic development officials say more than $6.50 from non-state partners was committed for every dollar spent by the state on projects funded in the last budget year.
Numerous towns and cities have industrial sites that are reminders of Connecticut's manufacturing past. Soil could be polluted by oil or toxic materials left behind before environmental regulations were established.
One success story of productive re-use of a brownfield site is Stratford's former U.S. Baird manufacturing site, which was redeveloped into Two Roads Brewing Co.
Applications for the state grants must be submitted by Monday, November 16.
Leyda Quast is an intern at WNPR. This report includes information from The Associated Press.
