To the editor: Southern Windsor County gets $300,000 Brownfields Grant

The Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission has received a $300,000 community-wide Brownfields Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is one of just two grants awarded in Vermont in the 2020 fiscal year.

This funding will provide a substantial boost in our ability to offer much needed assessment of brownfield sites in our region. The SWCRPC has several active sites that have caught the interest of private developers, local non-profits and municipalities for cleanup and reuse.

Every year, the EPA provides grant funding for the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites through a competitive, nationwide process. Windsor County is home to some of the largest brownfield sites in the state due to its historical prominence in the machine tool industry. Many of these sites are suspected of having, or known to have, environmental contamination from past uses. The contamination complicates the redevelopment or reuse of those properties.

Through this partnership with the EPA, the Regional Planning Commission is able to move these projects forward, eliminating blight, creating economic opportunity and improving the health and public safety in its communities.

To learn more about the SWCRPC Brownfields program click here.

Cindy Ingersoll
Community Development Specialist
Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission