Brattleboro Area Farmers Market Receives Grant from WRC
- Details
The Brattleboro Area Farmers Market (BAFM) received a $35,000 grant on May 18, 2015 through the Windham Regional Commission Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund. BAFM will use the funds from the WRC to remediate contamination on the former Planet Gas site, located at 70 Western Avenue in Brattleboro..
As part of mitigation, the site will be re-graded and redeveloped with the creation of additional parking to serve the Saturday farmer's market, a safe greenspace, a sidewalk for improved connectivity, and enhancement to the site's aesthetic quality. The gas station building and canopy will be removed during redevelopment. The project is scheduled for construction in the summer of 2015.
WRC assisted BAFM with site assessment in 2014, due to the former use of the property as a gas station. Like many former gas stations corrective action is necessary to mitigate potential impacts to human health and the environment. Soils present at the site are contaminated with varying concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, (PAHs) Arsenic, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, (PCBs), and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHs). None of these are airborne or pose immediate public health risks. The site will be remediated with a combination of geotextile fabric, a clean soil and/or gravel barrier, and sidewalk paving. Land use restrictions in the form of a deed restriction will also be implemented to ensure that the protective cap is maintained.
The Windham Region Brownfields Reuse Initiative (WRBRI) was established in 2000 with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since that time WRC has been working hard to promote vibrant communities by facilitating brownfields redevelopment. The overall goal of WRC's program is to restore brownfield properties to productive uses that can range from business, industry, housing, community facilities, and public green space. The WRBRI has funding available to help from assessment throughout the reclamation process. More information about the program can be found here at or contact Susan McMahon, Associate Director (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or (802) 257-4547 x 114.
