Council authorizes $6 million brownfields grant application for Garfield Mills after debate over flooding and remediation

The New London City Council on April 6 authorized the mayor to apply for up to $6 million from the Municipal Brownfield Grant Program to support remediation and limited assessment at the Garfield Mills site.

Council debate included a failed attempt to table the resolution (the motion to table lacked a second) and a subsequent discussion about the scope of work. Councilors and staff noted the site has a history of flooding; officials clarified that the proposed brownfield funding is intended to address remaining interior contamination such as lead and asbestos and that earlier grants had addressed exterior conditions. Council members seeking clarification asked whether remediation work would interact with the site's flooding and stormwater challenges; city staff indicated the flooding and larger infrastructure issues are separate and have been the subject of engineering reviews.

Following discussion, the council approved the resolution authorizing the mayor to apply for the brownfield grant. The motion passed with a recorded tally of 6–1.

A council member said engineering reviews and prior brownfield work had already addressed exterior remediation, and the present application targets remaining interior cleanup needs. The council also noted that development at Garfield Mills has been complicated in the past and that the city may see different developers or revised proposals as remediation proceeds.

Ending: The authorizing vote allows the mayor to submit the grant application and to sign documents necessary to pursue the funding; councilors said additional council review and implementation planning will follow if the grant is awarded.