Connecticut Brownfield Sites

1. Connecticut Brownfield Sites

2. What are ‘Brownfield Sites’? • “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant…". – CT DEP

3. What are ‘Brownfield Sites’? • 1990’s- Fed. And State Government decided to take action on land that was sitting unused because of the potential hazards that they contained. • Unknown liabilities were preventing communities from restoring these sites.

4. What are ‘Brownfield Sites’? • CT- state remediation programs and standards are in place to help promote the cleanup and redevelopment of sites. • Connecticut Remediation Standard Regulations

5. Federal Brownfields Law • Jan. 11, 2002- Federal Law expands assistance for brownfields assessment, cleanup, revitilization , and job training.

6. Stages of Brownfield Remediation • Inventory of Sites: what’s there and how much • Assessment: Can reclamation occur? • Funding: Federal and/or Private • Amount required for each stage of redevelopment • Remedial Design and Construction • Apply appropriate technology to clean or contain pollution • 13 approved clean-up technologies just for USTs • Each site clean-up is specific to the pollutants and geology of that site • Package site for sale or development

7. Assessment • Develop understanding of: • Type of pollutants • Horizontal & vertical extent of pollution • Impact on the environment • Are streams, lakes, rivers polluted? • Is the underground water table polluted? • Is the pollution localized or widespread? • Are plants/animals affected?

8. Brownfields and You!

9. Brownfields and You!

10. Possible Contaminants

11. Case Study: Waterbury, CT Development – Brass Mill Center Mall • The long defunct, brass manufacturing center, once comprised of more than 90 decaying buildings • Processed brass until alternate/cheaper alternatives available • 100-acre downtown site, was prepared for a rebirth.

12. Case Study: Waterbury, CT Development – Brass Mill Center Mall • Removal of asbestos, lead paint, metals, solvents, oil, machinery, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) contaminated materials. • Over 200,000 cubic yards of debris was removed or recycled • Soil vapor extraction and on-site treatment were used to treat the 155,000 tons of tainted soil.

13. Case Study: Waterbury, CT Development – Brass Mill Center Mall • The entire demolition and remediation was completed well ahead of schedule and under budget • construction of the 1,300,000 square foot Brass Mill Center was then completed

14. Your Task • Groups of up to 2 students will work together to research local ‘Brownfield Sites’ • You will gather information about the site and report back to your classmates in the form of a PowerPoint Presentation. • http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2715&q=324930 • Your goals are to: • Identify Contaminants Present • Identify the affects of the contaminants of the environment. • Determine how the site was/should be cleaned up

15. To be answered: • General description of site: • Name, Location, Site Definition • Contaminants: • Types in location, Why are they there, affects on environment • Investigation • formulate a question about the site that may be answered through scientific investigation and to design the investigation. • Do not worry about the specific steps needed to isolate the contaminant or specific techniques used to measure the contaminant’s effect on the environment. Focus on writing a general plan for your investigation including the independent and dependent variables to be studied, general procedures you will follow and the data you will collect.

16. Brownfield Research Sites • Newhall Remediation Project, Hamden CT • http://www.newhallinfo.org/ • Raymark Industries, Stratford CT • http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/npl_pad.nsf/cf430d675d2ce79085256aee0044e5a6/a4b8dbf11e4134398525692d00618241?OpenDocument