Brownfields
Associate director: Susan Westa
WRC Brownfields Committee: click here
WRC Brownfields Meeting Schedule 2026: 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. Since 2021, WRC has also received funding made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Department of Economic Development.
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 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 swesta@windhamregional.org.
The meeting schedule and application due dates for 202 are as follows:
| Meeting Dates | Application Due Dates |
| February 11 | February 2 |
| April 8 | March 30 |
| June 10 | June 1 |
| August 12 | August 3 |
| October 14 | October 5 |
| December 9 | November 30 |
Brownfields Funding Available for Assessment and Cleanup Work
The Windham Regional Commission has been awarded funding for brownfields assessment and $2 million for cleanup work from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Vermont. 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. Together this funding will enable redevelopment throughout the Windham Region.
If you are interested in learning more about this funding, please contact Susan Westa, Associate Director at swesta@windhamregional.org.
Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Updates
For more information about ongoing brownfields assessment and cleanup work please click here.