East Haven, New Haven Get $200K State Grant To Assess Polluted Site

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont approved a series of state grants totaling $20 million that will support the remediation and redevelopment of 21 blighted properties consisting of 150 acres of contaminated land in 18 municipalities across Connecticut.

The funds will be used to support the costs of cleaning up these vacant properties so they can be redeveloped and put back into productive use to support economic growth and housing needs.

The grants are being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. These state investments are expected to leverage approximately $530 million in private investments and facilitate the creation of 1,392 units of new housing, as well as the growth of new businesses.

A $200,000 grant was awarded to the two municipalities to continue the assessment of the privately-owned, 21.47-acre Coppola Metals Property located at 201 and 181 Russell Street in New Haven and 201 Russell Street in East Haven. The site was formerly used as a scrapyard and has sat vacant and highly contaminated for more than 20 years.

"All of these blighted properties have been vacant for years when we should be using them to grow new businesses and support the development of badly needed housing," Lamont said. "This series of state grants enables us to partner with developers who will take these zombie properties and bring them back from the dead, cleaning up contaminated land and bringing life back to these neighborhoods."