UConn Brownfields Program Gets New Federal Grant

STORRS, CT — A $5M cooperative agreement grant from awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will assist a team of faculty and staff members at the University of Connecticut with continuing to provide technical assistance to communities encountering "the challenges of assessment, cleanup, and revitalization at brownfield sites," officials said.

Brownfield sites, which commonly contain contaminated or polluted materials from "derelict industrial operations," often present environmentally hazardous conditions for residents residing near the properties. These abandoned parcels are often sources of blight for the neighborhoods hosting them.

"The cooperative agreement not only supports the act of identifying brownfield sites, but we're able to offer assistance pursing grant opportunities, reviewing technical reports and documents, conducting site reuse assessments, explaining regulatory and economic issues, and engage the local community in the redevelopment process," according to Marisa Chrysochoou, professor and head of civil and environmental engineering and director of UConn’s Technical Assistance for Brownfields program. "We also support continuing education on diverse topics related to brownfields.”"

A multidisciplinary team spanning the University (including the College of Engineering; the School of Social Work; the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and UConn Health), TAB is comprised of faculty, graduate student assistants, and staff who have specialized knowledge on environmental pollution and remediation, urban planning, public health, and social work.

The cooperative agreement will support TAB’s efforts from October 2023 through September 2028.

The EPA also awarded a $1M grant in October 2021.