BRATTLEBORO — New England Youth Theatre (NEYT) has received a $200,000 grant and low interest loan from the Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund, administered by the Windham Regional Commission (WRC).
Previously, in 2013, the theater received a brownfields cleanup grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
NEYT will use the funds from WRC and EPA towards a project to improve the overall look of the campus, add an extension to the 100 Flat St. building, and open useable and safe green space at the 100 Flat St. and 48 Elm St. properties. Cleanup will begin this spring.
WRC assisted NEYT in assessing its arts campus due to the historical use of the property. The theater itself is pollutant-free.
However, like many former-industrial sites, 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 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
As a result, approximately 1,030 cubic yards of soil will be excavated and disposed of at an appropriate facility. None of these are airborne or pose immediate public health risks.
The Windham Region Brownfields Reuse Initiative (WRBRI) was established in 2000 with funding from the EPA. The overall goal of the initiative is to restore brownfield properties to productive uses that can range from business and industry, to housing and community facilities, to public green space.