Brownfields

Associate director:  susan Westa

WRC Brownfields Committee: click here

WRC Brownfields Meeting Schedule 2023: click here

Brownfields are land and buildings whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse
may be complicated by the presence or potential presence
of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

The Windham Region Brownfields Reuse Initiative (WRBRI) was established in 2000 with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since that time we have been working hard to promote vibrant communities by facilitating brownfields redevelopment.  

All together this funding has brought a total of $4.72 million dollars in federal brownfields funds to the region for assessment and cleanup of brownfields sites. This successful program has been instrumental in helping revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from underutilized properties to productive business and community use.

Brownfields Committee 2023 Schedule

The Brownfields Committee meets bimonthly on the second Wednesday of the month at 4:00 PM.

Applications are due by 4:00 PM of the Monday of the week prior to the meeting (except for the June meeting, since that Monday is Memorial Day). If you have any questions about the application process, contact Susan Westa, WRC Brownfields Program Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The meeting schedule and application due dates for 2023 are as follows:

Meeting Dates

Application Due Dates

February 8 January 30
April 12 April 3
June 14 June 5
September 20 September 11
October 11 October 2
December 13 December 4

New Brownfields Funding Available for Assessment and Cleanup Work

The Windham Regional Commission has been awarded $500,000 for brownfields assessment work and $2 million for cleanup from the US Environmental Protection Agency. This funding is critical to support the work of the Windham Regional Brownfields Reuse Initiative (WRBRI). Assessment funding is used to determine if there is contamination by hazardous materials or petroleum products and the extent of that contamination. Once the contamination issues are clearly identified, a cleanup plan is developed. Property owners, public and private, can then apply for cleanup funding to make sites safe for redevelopment. The State of Vermont is also supporting brownfields work with $50,000 for assessment work. Together this funding will enable redevelopment throughout the Windham Region.

If you are interested in learning more about this funding, please visit our website at http://www.windhamregional.org/brownfields or contact Susan Westa, Associate Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Updates

Active Assessment Site Update, June 2023
• Phase I – determines likelihood of potential contamination
• Phase II – determines extent of potential contamination
• ABCA – Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives/cleanup planning
• CAP – Corrective Action Plan/cleanup planning
• ECAA – Evaluation of Corrective Action Alternatives

SITE UPDATE
21 O'Bryan Drive
Brattleboro
Phase II complete.

BDCC Industrial Site Phase II funding approved.
Bellows Falls Bike Project
Bellows Falls
ECAA/CAP underway.

Black Mountain & Glen Parks
Brattleboro
Phase I's complete.

Daley Shoe Building
Brattleboro
SSDS evaluation approved.
Foodworks
Brattleboro
Phase I funding approved.
The Garage
Bellows Falls
Vapor plume delineation complete.

The Gathering Place
Brattleboro
Phase I funding approved.

South Newfane Store    
Newfane
Phase I funding approved.

Thermal House
Brattleboro
Indoor PCB testing complete and evaluation underway.

WheelPad
Wilmington
Phase I funding approved.

Winston Prouty
Brattleboro
Site investigation and Phase II underway.


Active Revolving Loan Fund/Cleanup Site Update, June 2023

SITE UPDATE
Bellows Falls Train Station
Bellows Falls
Preparing for cleanup.
BMAC/11 Arch St
Brattleboro
Historic documentation underway.

The Garage
Bellows Falls
 Site redeveloped.

New England Youth Theater
48 Elm Street, Brattleboro
Demolition complete and cleanup underway.

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