Waste Site Cleanup & Reuse in New England
Success in EPA-Conducted Targeted Brownfields Assessments
City of New London, CT
(July 25, 2001)
Contacts
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Before Redevelopment
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 Rail Yard |
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During Remediation
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After Redevelopment
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 Public Waterfront Boardwalk and Discovery Pier |
In January 2000, a $50,000 EPA-Conducted Target Brownfields Assessment (TBA) was completed on the former Penn Central property in the City of New London, CT. The TBA provided essential information that enabled the successful redevelopment of the property from an abandoned and contaminated rail yard to a public waterfront boardwalk. This success is part of a comprehensive plan to open the city back up to the waterfront area and to take advantage of it's recreational and educational resources.
The 1.0 acre site is located along the Thames River. In March 1999, the Penn Central site was purchased by the City of New London. Combined with several adjacent, city-owned waterfront properties, the composite was targeted for redevlopment. The Penn Central rail yard had been used mainly for routine maintenance and refueling. The TBA began in June of 1998 and was completed in January 2000. Contaminants included petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, and degreasers.
Based on the environmental site assessment and recommendations supplied by EPA's TBA, New London was able to proceed with additional assessments and a phased-approach for cleanup and redevelopment. The cleanup and construction are ongoing and simultaneous. Thus far a portion of the site has been cleaned and a public waterfront boardwalk constructed. The boardwalk provides increased access to the river for recreational uses and educational opportunities. The project was a collaborative effort between the City of New London, the State of Connecticut, and EPA. The boardwalk officially opened in March 2001.