FUNDING AVAILABLE TO AID ASSESSMENT AND CLEAN UP PLANNING OF BROWNFIELDS PROPERTIES

 

The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) can provide funding and technical assistance under its Brownfields Program to help properties that are blighted or vacant or underutilized because of potential petroleum or hazardous substance contamination get put to productive use again. 


Since 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided funds to the CCRPC for brownfields environmental assessment and cleanup planning for sites throughout the County. This assistance has helped property owners better understand the level of contamination on their property and devise and implement cleanup actions. This enabled them to secure necessary permits and financing to move to construction.

 

The CCRPC can assist property owners and potential developers of “brownfields properties” first by having one of its Qualified Environmental Professionals conduct environmental studies (e.g. Phase I or II Environmental Site Assessments) and/or prepare site clean-up plans (aka “Corrective Action Plans). The CCRPC can also help identify sources of potential funding to clean up and redevelop the property. If a person owns or wants to develop a property that has or might have contamination issues, they can apply for assistance from the CCRPC Brownfields Program. Interested parties can find more information at the CCRPC’s brownfields webpage at http://www.ccrpcvt.org/brownfields.

 

Notable projects that have come to fruition in recent years include transforming a portion of the Burlington waterfront into a world-class skate park and the construction of a 44-unit affordable housing complex and a 28-unit apartment building with ground floor commercial space in the Old North End neighborhood. The program paid for several studies at the Richmond Creamery property which is now being demolished to make way for a new mixed-used development, funded an inventory of underground storage tanks in Winooski, and identified potential environmental conditions and concerns in the Essex Junction’s Village Center zoning district. Persons with questions about the Program such as the exact type of studies and plans that a property might need can contact Dan Albrecht, CCRPC Senior Planner, at dalbrecht@ccrpcvt.org or (802) 846-4490, Ext.*29. 

 

The CCRPC provides planning and technical assistance in the areas of community development, transportation, agriculture, natural resources, housing, economic development, telecommunications and emergency management to the 19 municipalities of Chittenden County and the public, while remaining consistent with federal and state requirements. The collaboration between the CCRPC, Chittenden County municipalities and other related resources agencies results in the development and implementation of plans that support sustainable development and improve the region’s environment and quality of life. For more information about the CCRPC, please visit www.ccrpcvt.org.

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Dan Albrecht, MA, MS

Senior Planner

Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission

110 West Canal Street, Suite 202

Winooski, VT 05404

(802) 846-4490 ext. *29

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