Letter to Gina McCarthy, Administrator US Environmental Protection Agency - Urging EPA to Award $700,000 in Brownfield Cleanup Grant to the City

Letter

Dear Administrator:

I am pleased to write in support of the application submitted by the City of Glens Falls for $700,000 in funding through the US EPA'sBrownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants. Such funding will enable Glens Falls to undertake the cleanup and redevelopment of several Brownfield Priority Sites.

Glens Falls was once a thriving center of industry and manufacturing, but since the early 1980s, at least three large factories have closed and many others have been downsized. These now vacant properties, which are located in highly concentrated residential areas, pose substantial environmental risks from the presence of the chemicals and heavy metals that remain, and residents have been suffering the effects of related health problems for 40 years. With this funding, Glens Falls will facilitate the cleanup and redevelopment of between 4 and 6 Priority Brownfield Sites. The RLF grant will facilitate the cleanup and redevelopment of several underutilized properties; return at least $3 million of assessed value back on local tax rolls (using projections based on the last five years of similar projects in the immediate area); leverage an additional $5 million of private investment for site assessments, cleanup, and redevelopment over the next five years; encourage more than $1 million in public infrastructure improvements in the City of Glens Falls and surrounding communities, and create new short and long-term jobs, including construction workers that will be needed to perform Brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects.

The City of Glens Falls does not have sufficient funds to remediate contaminated Brownfield sites, or to provide financial assistance to property owners for cleanup activities. In addition, funds that were formerly available to municipalities for Brownfield cleanup projects through the NYSDEC Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) are depleted. Given this lack of available State funds, the City of Glens Falls is seeking federal funding for the cleanup of Priority Brownfield Sites. If EPA funding is secured, the City will utilize existing partnerships of property owners and local and regional economic development organizations to facilitate cleanup and reuse of the Priority Sites.

All told, the City has leveraged $33 million in public and private investments in the past 10 years as a result of its local Brownfields Program using EPA assistance. Glens Falls has also received preferred sustainability status (PSS) as the result of the award of a HUD Community Challenge Grant in 2010, and the award of a HUD Regional Planning Grant in 2011. Glens Falls clearly has a proven track record of effectively leveraging public funding to generate matching private investment to clean up and renew its communities.

Funding these cleanup efforts will enable Glens Falls to mitigate environmental and health risks, improve the safety and health of its citizens, enhance the appeal and appearance of the City, and work towards economic revitalization. I applaud the City of Glens Falls and its partners for their foresight, and sincerely hope the application for funding meets with your approval.

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