The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is accepting applications from municipalities and economic development agencies for its 12th round of competitive grant funding as part of the state’s Brownfield Remediation Program.

The initiative provides opportunities to investigate, clean up and revitalize blighted properties that have fallen into disrepair and puts them back into productive use in ways that benefit local economies.

Municipalities and economic development agencies are eligible to request funding of up to $1 million for individual remediation projects and up to $200,000 for assessment projects.

Awards may be used for a range of brownfield assessment, remediation and redevelopment activities, including abatement, demolition, site investigation and assessment, groundwater monitoring, installation of institutional controls, and professional service fees associated with redevelopment.

All projects will be rated and ranked by an interagency committee on the following criteria:

• Applicant/municipal financial need;

• Remediation/cleanup (or assessment) project feasibility;

• Redevelopment project feasibility;

• Redevelopment project economic and community impact;

• Responsible growth and livability initiatives; and

• Applicant capacity and experience.

To date, the state has invested $223 million in more than 246 old or vacant factories, mills, warehouses, and other contaminated sites and structures under the program. This round will see an investment of up to $4 million for remediation projects, with up to $1 million of that amount reserved specifically for assessment projects.

Application information can be downloaded online at www.ct.gov/ctbrownfields. All applications must be submitted via email to brownfields@ct.gov no later than Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 3:00 p.m.