SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES $1.8 MILLION AWARDED TO NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR CLEANUP PROJECTS

(Washington, DC) – U.S.  Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced today that New Hampshire has been awarded $1.8 million in grants from the EPA Brownfields Program to help restore sites contaminated by hazardous substances. Bristol, Concord, and the Capital Regional Development Council each received grants.

“I’m pleased to know that these areas of New Hampshire will benefit from these much-needed funds,” Shaheen said. “These restorations are crucial to keeping New Hampshire towns healthy, safe, and able to meet modern environmental standards.”

A grant of $1,000,000 was awarded to the Capital Regional Development Council to create a revolving loan fund for cleanup activities and community outreach programs at contaminated sites throughout central and southern New Hampshire. Loans will be available to state agencies, community groups, academic institutions, private sector companies and nonprofit organizations who are able to provide matching funds.

“These cleanups are badly needed, and these loans are vital to getting them done,” said Stephen Heavener, executive director of Capitol Regional Development Council. “This program will let municipalities clean up these properties and put them back on the tax rolls, lowering property taxes and contributing to economic development.”

A $598,670 grant was awarded to the City of Concord to help clean three lots at the former Allied Leather Tannery in the 2700 block of East Street in the Penacook Village neighborhood. This site was first developed in 1846 as a textile facility and was later converted into a tannery for manufacturing leather products. The lots are now contaminated by a variety of pollutants as a result of the manufacturing process.

Finally, the Town of Bristol will receive $200,000 to assist in the cleanup of the Mica Building at 8 Central Street. This site, which is contaminated by dangerous metals and inorganic contaminants, has been used in the past for shoe manufacturing, storage of lumber and construction materials, and processing of mica.