Urban Environmental Program in New England

City Program Overview: Hartford, Connecticut

The City of Hartford was established by settlers in 1635. Currently the city has a population of approximately 121,578 people living in an area of 18.4 square miles sub-divided into 17 neighborhoods. Hartford is largely minority, with 38% Black, and 40% Latino. Hartford is one of the poorest cities in the country, with a per capita income of $11,081. In some of the poorest neighborhoods the unemployment rate is close to 20%, and the average high school drop-out rate for Blacks and Latinos is 50%. During the 1960's and 1970's Hartford lost much of its manufacturing base, and the middle class accelerated its exodus to the suburbs. This suburban expansion has contributed to the City of Hartford's 339 acres of vacant land with 939 abandoned buildings. Presently, Hartford's largest employers include: 1) the Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (F.I.R.E.) sectors, 2) Government, and 3) Services. The average wage for all F.I.R.E. jobs in Hartford is approximately $45,000 per year. Hartford is a place where money is made, but not where it is spent. Beneficiaries of Hartford's jobs are the nearby towns where most commuters live.

Setting the Stage for Sustainability

The Urban Environmental Program (UEP) target cities – Boston, Hartford and Providence – follow consistent goals and performance program measures. However, each city represents a different approach to developing urban environmental sustainability. The three city programs differ due to program history, community-city government relationships, and local land-use patterns.

EPA's UEP involvement in Hartford, CT began with assistance to ONE CHANE, Inc., a local community-based group concerned about the expansion of the local landfill. A common issue–solid waste management–motivated local residents to become involved in related environment and public health issues. Since UEP's initial support to one organization in Hartford, we have expanded our network of organizations by developing a broad coalition of public, private, and non-profit groups to prevent lead poisoning and asthma and improve air and water quality.

Hartford's Urban Environmental Program Approach

The UEP has helped channel EPA resources from the Brownfields program and the Enforcement section to Hartford. In 1997, there was a major Enforcement Reconnaissance in Hartford to investigate a wide range of operating environmental facilities and their compliance status. We completed a report on remediation plans for a contaminated site in North Hartford. Asthma Fairs and community roundtables are projects that also spun out of UEP's presence in Hartford. The UEP has brought together numerous community organizations that did not work together in the past.

The goal of the UEP is to develop sustainable communities. Since 1995 we have assisted Hartford in organizing themselves around their critical environmental issues. In the past few years networks of community organizations have focused on addressing environmental issues. UEP has raised community expectations on environmental issues. Citizens now have a thirst to know about the environmental impacts of pollution on their health. UEP is currently supporting a data assessment project to identify and prioritize environmental issues in Hartford. As part of the comparative risk project, the City Health Department in cooperation with organizations like HART and ONE CHANE will work together to educate and disseminate health data to the 17 neighborhoods in Hartford. This process will help the city and its residents to prioritize environmental issues in Hartford. As Hartford continues the road to sustainability, the UEP will assist communities in building local capacity, and leverage public/private partnerships.

Hartford, CT • City Program Overview • Priorities • Partners • Grants and Projects • Progress • City Program Manager