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EPA Official Impressed By Work Done With Grants At FFH

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EPA Official Impressed By Work Done With Grants At FFH

By Kendra Bobowick

Surprised by the crowd turning to greet her Tuesday, Environmental Protection Agency Project Officer Jerry Minor-Gordon stopped short to shake outstretched hands.

Welcoming her for a site visit of Fairfield Hills buildings that have benefited from grant funds, Economic and Community Development Director Elizabeth Stocker was among a handful of other town staff that filled a small meeting room this week.

“I wanted to see the site in person,” Ms Minor-Gordon said. Upon learning that a recent asbestos abatement project, made possible through a Council of Government (COG) grant, would be completed as soon as next week, she said, “Great, that’s great!” The $122,000 grant enabled the town to remediate the last two of the five duplex buildings. An earlier $200,000 grant stretched far enough in recent months to cover remediation at Stratford Hall and the first three duplexes, Ms Stocker confirmed.

“In total, we’ll have six buildings that are asbestos free,” she said.

The remediation efforts leave “that much less” work and expense for prospective occupants for the buildings, Ms Stocker explained. Squeezed around the table were Public Works Director Fred Hurley, environmental consultant Russell Bartley, Ms Minor-Gordon, Health District Director Donna Culbert, Land Use Director George Benson and Deputy Director Rob Sibley, and Valley COG representative Arthur Bogen.

Mr Bogen added that he was “impressed” with the amount of work that community resources had accomplished. “A lot of communities are not sure where the hats would come from or the rabbits to pull out of them.”

Mr Hurley said, “At best it’s a daunting task for the town to take over the campus. It’s lonely at times.” Grant funds “keep the momentum going,” he said.

Explaining the extent of soil remediation and asbestos in the buildings that requires remediation, Mr Bartley noted, “Each building is a big ticket item.”

Ms Stocker said that “Newtown’s team is moving forward” with the Fairfield Hills redevelopment efforts. She told Ms Minor-Gordon, “We’re grateful” for any financial assistance.

Ms Minor-Gordon liked what she was hearing about past and future remediation efforts and said, “I am happy with the process.”

She added, “We love success stories.”

Newtown is a subrecipient of EPA funds via the Valley Council of Governments, which “made the grant to the town,” Ms Stocker explained. Regarding Tuesday afternoon’s visit with Ms Minor-Gordon, Ms Stocker said, “She seemed impressed, and she should be. Newtown has made a lot of progress on the campus and we’re proud of that.”

In line for another potential $200,000, Newtown has an application pending for an assessment grant. Feeling “hopeful that we’ll get the funding,” Ms Stocker said Wednesday that money would go toward assessing properties with suspected contamination. Receiving the grant “has a lot of value,” she said. “We would need to [evaluate] properties regardless of what happens — a need for demolition or renovation.”

In coming months she also is hoping to see developers’ interest “pick up.” The Economic Development Commission is “actively marketing” the property.”

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