MALLOY'S BROWNFIELDS BETTERMENT

GOV. MALLOY SIGNS LEGISLATION TO ADVANCE REVITALIZATION PROJECTS AROUND THE STATE

Governor Dannel P. Malloy, joined by Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary and other state and local officials, today held a bill signing ceremony for legislation that implements a series of improvements to the state’s brownfield programs, as recommended by the General Assembly’s Brownfield Working Group, an eleven member task force created to examine the remediation and redevelopment of brownfields in Connecticut.

“We know that moving forward with our state’s environmental and economic development objectives requires remediating the brownfield properties left behind from previous eras of industrial and economic innovation. That’s why we are working with municipal and private sector partners to identify and invest in brownfield revitalization and reuse projects that are ripe with potential for economic and transit-oriented development,” said Governor Malloy. “With this legislation, we are continuing to expand our commitment to returning abandoned and underutilized sites to productive reuse and, in the process, alleviating blight and removing environmental contamination, returning properties to the tax rolls, revitalizing cities and downtown areas, all while creating jobs for residents and preserving open space. I thank the co-chairs of the Commerce and Environmental Committees, members of the Brownfield Working Group and Representative Berger for their good work and help with moving our state forward.”

The new law – passed during the General Assembly’s 2014 session – is focused on making the process of remediating and returning brownfields to productive use easier and more efficient for municipalities and private developers. Highlights of the legislation including:

Changes to the state’s cleanup law, known as the Transfer Act, to allow developers of larger parcels who have successfully cleaned up a portion of their site to attract more private capital to invest in the remainder of the redevelopment project.
Clarifications to the Transfer Act to allow properties where contamination is contained primarily in the building materials (i.e. lead paint, asbestos, etc.) to move more quickly to redevelopment once the hazardous materials have been abated and/or removed.
Provision of additional flexibility to Connecticut’s financial assistance programs to allow more projects to access critical funding and encourage projects to include features such as affordable housing or transit-oriented development that are consistent with the Governor’s broader policy goals.

“Cleaning up contaminated brownfields is one of the most important tasks that we as a state can undertake, and this legislation will make that quicker and easier to do,” said State Senator Gary D. LeBeau (D-3), Senate Chairman of the Commerce Committee. “We all want and need a clean environment, and we all want and need new economic development to create new job opportunities for our citizens. When you can do all that by using existing infrastructure and simultaneously conserving open space, that's an optimal arrangement.”

“Connecticut has a proud history of manufacturing and industry that has, in some areas, left an enduring environmental impact,” said State Senator Edward Meyer (D-12), Assistant President Pro Tempore and Senate Chairman of the Environment Committee. “This new law will streamline the brownfield remediation process, making it easier to clean up these contaminated sites and prepare them for use by Connecticut's new generation of innovators and job creators. I thank Governor Malloy for signing this important piece of legislation that will help improve our natural environment and contribute to a brighter economic future.”

“Once again, we take an environmentally positive step forward for Waterbury and the State of Connecticut,” said State Rep. Jeffrey Berger (D-73), Deputy Speaker of the House and former chairman of the Brownfield Working Group. “It is heartening to see my work on the Commerce Committee continuing to effect the eradication of these abandoned and contaminated properties. I thank Governor Malloy for sharing the vision of a brownfield free Connecticut and his steadfast support of providing the necessary resources to make it happen.”

"I applaud the Governor for signing a law that will help to streamline the process for remediating brownfield properties, and getting them back on the municipal tax rolls,” said State Rep. Chris Perone (D-137), House Chair of the Commerce Committee. “We encourage businesses to continue to develop in our state, and by opening up more properties for them to build on and expand on, we are sending that message.

“Creating more flexibility for brownfield redevelopment allows for better protection of lands that are pristine, while reusing property that has been historically commercial in nature,” said State Representative Linda M. Gentile (D-104), Co-Chair of the Environment Committee. “It is imperative to preserve lands that are clean and green by getting brownfields back on the tax rolls.”

“The cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield properties is critical to Waterbury’s strategy for economic development and growth,” said Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary. “The Governor’s strong support for the state’s brownfield remediation program is having an incredible impact on this city. This legislation will enhance the brownfield toolkit, assisting developers with partnerships and relationships that provide access to technical assistance and funding sources for sustainable redevelopment.”

“This legislation builds on prior efforts to streamline the process for the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields in order to achieve critical environmental, energy, and economic development objectives,” said Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Robert Klee. “Our progress in this area is the result of a true collaboration between state agencies like DEEP and DECD, land developers and other private sector professionals. Through this process we are showing that we can protect public health and build our economy by cleaning and putting contaminated lands back into productive reuse while maintaining high environmental standards that the people of our state expect.”

“Governor Malloy has made brownfield redevelopment a critical component of his overall economic development strategy, and the bill being signed today will make it easier and more efficient for more sites across the State to be cleaned up and redeveloped. By streamlining regulations and adding flexibility to the State’s financial assistance programs, this bill will help create more jobs and stronger communities,” said DECD Director of Waterfront, Brownfield, and Transit-Oriented Development Tim Sullivan. “In partnership with DEEP and our other agency partners, DECD looks forward to working with municipalities and developers with these new tools in hand to bring these brownfield development projects from the drawing board to reality.”

Governor Malloy made the announcement at the site of the MacDermid building demolition and remediation project, which received a $500,000 DECD Brownfield Grant. These funds will be used for selective demolition and deconstruction of the former factory complex, which will reused as Waterbury’s Public Works central maintenance facility. To date, the Malloy administration has invested a total of $3.2 million in brownfield remediation projects in Waterbury. In addition to the MacDermid building, other projects include:

Mad River Development ($500,000) – The City of Waterbury will use the grant funds for the remediation and disposal of contaminated, hazardous materials as part of a mixed-use redevelopment project known as the Mad River Development.
313 Mill Street Abatement, Demolition Remediation & Reuse ($2,000,000) – The City of Waterbury will use the grant funds to demolish and remove the burned out remains of the former Nova Print and Dye Works which was destroyed by a fire in April 2012. The current state of the property is impeding the future redevelopment of the Mad River mixed-use development.
Verjune Manufacturing Site Investigation ($100,000) – The City of Waterbury has identified the former Verjune Manufacturing Company site for future development and completed an Environmental Site the Assessment at the project area. Once the environmental costs are determined and the property is remediated, the site will be redeveloped for industrial use. This property is located within the Waterbury Enterprise Zone.
Municipal Stadium Abatement Project ($90,000) – Grant funds will be used to abate hazardous materials (lead and asbestos) as part of the $7 million renovation project to revive and upgrade the Municipal Stadium complex in Waterbury.

Last month, Governor Malloy announced DECD’s Brownfield Remediation Program is accepting applications for a new round of funding of up to $20 million that will be awarded to brownfield projects throughout the state. Eligible applicants for grant funding include municipalities and economic development agencies; municipalities, agencies and both for-profit and nonprofit developers are eligible to apply for low-interest loan funding.