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EPA Announces $500,000 in Grants in New Hampshire

Release Date: 01/31/1997
Contact Information: Leo Kay, EPA Press Office (617) 918-4154

BOSTON -- During a tour of Concord's industrial corridor today, John P. DeVillars, administrator of the EPA's New England office, announced the awarding of nearly $500,000 in grants to go toward cleaning the environment while promoting economic development in New Hampshire.

The EPA has earmarked $140,000 in funds and services to go toward revitalizing abandoned contaminated properties in both Concord and Londonderry under the agency's "Brownfields" program.

In addition to the Brownfields grant, funds will go toward projects ranging from recycling obsolete electronic equipment to helping small businesses -- such as metal finishers -- cut down on the amount of pollution they produce to instilling environmental awareness in the state's school children. A majority of the funds were granted by the EPA's regional office of Assistance and Pollution Prevention -- the largest pollution prevention office of any environmental agency in the country.

"A $500,000 investment in the future of New Hampshire's environment -- and a clean economy -- is tax payers' dollars well spent," said John P. DeVillars, administrator of the EPA's New England office. "Combined with the ingenuity and dedication of their recipients, these grant dollars will go a long way in protecting, preserving, and promoting this state's environment for years to come. Whether it's pollution prevention, sustainable development, or environmental education, we know we can expect a lot from New Hampshire."

"As Chairman of the Senate Superfund Subcommittee of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I am pleased to have worked with EPA Region 1, especially in the areas of Brownfields and economic redevelopment of hazardous waste sites. Our children should be able to drink clean water, breathe clean air and enjoy New Hampshire's scenic natural resources," said Senator Bob Smith. "These grants will help unite our local businesses in finding ways to recycle, clean up toxic waste and prevent pollution. I will continue to support similar projects to help bring funds to New Hampshire communities to improve the environment."

"This is good for New Hampshire," said Second District Congressman Charlie Bass. "My office worked closely with Senator Smith, the City of Concord and the EPA on the Concord Brownfields

grant, which will allow the city to redevelop previously contaminated property. This is a great example of what can be accomplished when we all work together on a project."

"When federal funds can be applied toward proposals that protect the environment and support economic development, such as those outlined today, that is money well spent. I hope that the EPA will continue to look for ways to support New Hampshire's small business community with such education and prevention initiatives," said Congressman John E. Sununu (RNH01). "I thank the agency and look forward to working with Administrator DeVillars as these projects progress."

"By awarding these grants, the EPA is providing critical support to several outstanding environmental initiatives in New Hampshire, from pollution reduction and cleanup, to recycling and environmental education. But a common thread runs through each of these programs: they are good for the people, environment, and economy of our state," said New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen.

In expressing his appreciation for New Hampshire's receipt of the grants, Department of Environmental Services (DES) Commissioner Robert Varney said, "These EPA grants will help New Hampshire implement several important projects in our state." He noted that New Hampshire is active on a variety of pollution prevention and cleanup fronts.

"Working with business organizations, community leaders, and the University of New Hampshire, DES has active programs in toxics reduction, small business technical assistance, recycling, Brownfields restoration, pollution prevention, and environmental education," Varney said. "We're pleased that, through this federal funding, EPA is conveying its confidence and support in these extensive state environmental protection efforts."

The following is a breakdown of the grants the EPA is awarding to New Hampshire municipalities, businesses and other organizations for use in 1997:

Assistance and Pollution Prevention
$69,122 -- Northeast Regional Recycling Association: Pilot Consumer/Community Residential Collection of End-of-Life Electronic Equipment
Concord
The project will determine the economic viability of collecting and demanufacturing/recycling of end-of-life electronic equipment from consumers in Somerville, Mass. and Binghamton, NY. The majority of end-of-life electronic equipment demanufacturing and recycling projects are currently focusing on the commercial and business waste streams. This pilot will focus on the residential post-consumer waste stream by assessing the viability of a collection, demanufacturing and recycling program for residential post-consumer electronic equipment. (Contact: Patrick Corcoran, 603/224-6996)

$55,000 -- UNH: CLEAN for Metal Finishers
Durham
The Compliance Leadership through Environmental Assessments & Negotiations - Pollution Prevention (CLEAN-P2) program is a pilot program for small and medium-sized metal finishers in New Hampshire. The EPA has awarded a grant to the University of New Hampshire to implement the pilot project in partnership with P2 leaders from industry, academia, government and non-government organizations. CLEAN-P2 offers free, on-site audits to help facilities comply with environmental requirements, use pollution prevention techniques and achieve environmental excellence. EPA, in cooperation with state and local environmental regulatory agencies is offering enforcement amnesty for most corrected violations. (Contact: Ihab Farag, 603/862-2313)

$45,000 -- New Hampshire DES: Pollution Prevention for Borderline Emitters
Concord
The project will target companies that fall just above or below the thresholds for inclusion under regulatory programs for pollution prevention and compliance assistance. (Contact: Stephanie D'Agostino, 603/271-6398)

$35,000 -- UNH: Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance for Metal Shops
Durham
Through an existing partnership (university/industry/government group), funds will be used to train students to provide on-site pollution prevention technical assistance to metal finishers. Ultimately, the project will help metal finishers develop environmental self-audit systems. (Contact: Ihab Farag, 603/862-2313)

$26,500 -- B&I NH Wastecap Support Grant
Concord
WasteCap of New Hampshire and Maine, who received this grant jointly, assist and encourage companies and institutions to drive costs out of the operations through improved production and solid waste management practices. WasteCap conducts free, confidential, on-site waste assessments, provides technical assistance over the phone and publishes quarterly newsletters to further solid waste reduction. In addition, WasteCap assists clients in designing or improving a recycling program and establishing effective materials procurement practices. (Contact: Barbara Bernstein, 603/224-5388)

$20,000 -- New Hampshire DES: Toxics Use Reduction Outreach for Small Businesses
Concord
The funds will be used to target generators of hazardous waste generators who may benefit from technical assistance to implement toxics use reduction in their facility. Additionally they will develop, market, test and distribute a pollution prevention planning and implementation guide specifically targeted toward small business. (Contact: Stephanie D'Agostino, 603/271-6398)

$8,000-- University of New Hampshire: Workshop for Metal Finishers
Durham
The grant will be used to fund a pollution prevention and compliance conference for metal finishers. (Contact: Ihab Farag, 603/862-2313)

$5,000 -- Business & Industries Association: NH WasteCap Support
Concord
WasteCap will assist the EPA in organizing a second annual Reuse Workshop. The first workshop was held in Vermont in June. (Contact: Barbara Bernstein, 603/224-5388)

Sustainable Development
$26,000 -- Sustainable Development Challenge Grant to the New Hampshire Forest Sustainability Standards Work Team
Concord
"From Grassroots to Tree Roots - Sustaining Forestry in New Hampshire" promotes using better forest management practices to protect environmental quality and sustain the state's timber industry. The 22 members of FSSWT represent a diverse cross-section of the state's natural resources community - from timber industry to forest ecologists. Administrative support to the project is provided by representatives from the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association, the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, and the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game.(Contact: Tammara Van Ryn, 603/224-9945)

Economic Redevelopment
$90,000 -- Brownfields Grant to City of Concord
The Concord Brownfields grant will be used to identify and begin to address more than 60 suspected contaminated sites in the city's 440-acre "brownfields corridor". Activities planned include: Completing a first phase of environmental assessments for at least half of the corridor; conducting a second, more in-depth phase of assessments on three select sites; and generating a summary of the assessment results for the public. (Contact: Frederick Enderle, 603/225-8570)

$50,000 -- Brownfields Site Assessment for City of Londonderry
The EPA will perform a site assessment at Lamont Labs, where EPA field teams conducted an $380,000 emergency removal last year. The owner of the former laboratory is bankrupt, but the town won't foreclose on the property due to liability issues. At least one company is interested in acquiring the property. (Contact: Richard Plante, 603/432-1120)

Environmental Education
$5,000 -- New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts
Concord
The organization will hold a New Hampshire "Envirothon". (Contact: Dick Obyc, 603/692-3249)

$4,313 -- Granite State Association of the Future Farmers of America
Concord
This funding will be used to support teacher education in integrated pest management and pesticide application. (Contact: Richard Barker, 603/271-3885)