Two local municipalities are among those sharing in more than $19 million in state grants to help with the costs of assessing and remediating 31 blighted properties to put them back into productive use. 

New Milford is receiving $199,000 for environmental assessment and investigation work on West Street.  The town will explore the development of the site as a public park and the potential restoration of the ruins of the Ruggles/Stilson Mills and Hydro-electric Plant.  Redding will use $200,000 to assess the former Gilbert and Bennett Manufacturing Company site for redevelopment. 

The grants are from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program. The funding from the state is expected to leverage approximately $156 million in private funding and help in the investigation and clean-up of approximately 418 acres of land.