$2 million in grants for Brownfield Redevelopment in Vernon

Hartford, CT – State Senator Tony Guglielmo (R-Stafford) is happy to support Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) decision to award $7 million to 12 brownfield redevelopment and assessment projects across the state, including the Amerbelle Mill and Daniels Mill in Vernon. These projects will help clean up and assess a total of 462 acres of commercial, industrial and municipal properties around the state.

“The commitment to cities and towns like Vernon on behalf of the state shows confidence in local community’s ability to grow,” said Sen. Guglielmo. “It is very expensive to take an old piece of property that has complicated needs and turn it into an opportunity. With the state’s help Vernon will have two great pieces of property in the heart of the historic district to entice redevelopment.”

Funding will be awarded through the Connecticut Remedial Action and Redevelopment Municipal Grant Program. This program provides grants to municipalities and economic development agencies to support remediation, abatement, and demolition activities prior to redevelopment and to conduct environmental site assessments.

Goals of the program include augmenting the state’s investment by leveraging the maximum amount of private funds, reactivating long-stalled sites, and encouraging job creation.

In total there are four remediation and redevelopment projects, which represent 11 acres of potential redevelopment statewide, including Vernon.

• Vernon — $2,000,000 to remediate and redevelop the Amerbelle Mill and Daniels Mill in the heart of the downtown Rockville historic district.

According to DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith, advancing Connecticut’s brownfield agenda has been a top priority and represents an investment in the state’s long-term economic health and the revitalization of our communities.

Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee has publicly said these grants help turn blighted sites into assets that communities can once again be proud of.

Since 2012, DECD has invested $138 million in brownfield redevelopment. For more information about brownfield redevelopment programs, visit www.ctbrownfields.gov.