- Connecticut approves $17.9 million for remediation of blighted properties in 13 towns and cities
- Grants will support the overhaul of 40 properties to return them to public use
- The Brownfield Remediation Program aims to spur economic growth while cleaning up contaminated sites
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Connecticut has awarded approximately $17.9 million toward the remediation of blighted properties in the state as part of the Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program.
The funds will support the overhaul of 40 properties in 13 towns and cities. The investment is expected to leverage $427 million in private funding and will help investigate and clean up approximately 78 acres of land.
“Cleaning up blighted properties that have been vacant for decades and putting them into productive use will ultimately generate back many more times the amount of these grants through private investments,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “If we remediate these properties now, we can turn an eyesore into an asset, revitalize neighborhoods, and transform otherwise unusable property into new space for businesses and residents.”
DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said cleaning up brownfields has the dual impact of removing harmful contaminants and spurring economic development. The sites being supported through the funding are slated for new purposes such as housing, mixed-use commercial and retail options, office and business space, and community recreation.
A full list of the funded projects is available here, and more information on DECD’s Brownfield Remediation Program is available here.
