10:00 a.m.

·         Welcome, Glenn Eaton, Executive Director

10:05 a.m.

·         Self-Introductions

10:10 a.m.

·         Brownfields Group Discussions and Requests to Advance Nominated Sites for Reviews of multiple sites for environmental site assessments and related work to sites in Athol, Ayer, Fitchburg, Groton, and Leominster

o   Action Requested: Approve of the submission of site nominations for environmental site assessment and related environmental engineering work in accordance with the eligible uses for funds under the US EPA-MRPC Brownfields Environmental Site Assessments grant award and contract.

·         The Brownfields Group welcomes site nominations from communities throughout the region

o   (The Montachusett Region consists of 19 towns and three cities. They are Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Clinton, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leominster, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shirley, Sterling, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster, and Winchendon.)

·         Brief discussion of the environmental site assessment process

·         The future: Pursuit of additional ESA and revolving loan fund (RLF) grants to sustain the Montachusett Region’s environmental assessment and cleanup programs to return sites to active reuse for housing, economic development, open space and recreation, and other public benefits and purposes.

10:40 a.m.

·         Montachusett Economic Development District (MEDD) and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee – Information Only

o   Update, Montachusett Region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Completed 2024 and Under Review by the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA, Review Ongoing)

o   Document edited multiple times throughout 2025 by MRPC staff to conform to the most recent Federal EDA policies.

§  A CEDS must be updated at least every five years to maintain eligibility for EDA planning and public works assistance. This five‑year cycle is the formal regulatory requirement, and it applies to all designated Economic Development Districts and other entities that rely on a CEDS for EDA funding. “The Planning Organization must submit a new or revised CEDS to EDA at least every five years, unless EDA or the Planning Organization determines that a new or revised CEDS is required earlier due to changed circumstances.”  (Source, Code of Federal Regulations [CFRs] {13 C.F.R. § 303.6 and § 303.7}].)

o   Until further notice, MRPC will presume that the next regional CEDS must be updated no later than 2029 and has chosen June 30, 2029, as a target completion date.

o   Status of completion of tasks included in the EDA-MRPC contract’s scope of services, such as Performance Measures research

10:55 a.m.

·         Future meeting suggestions.

o   Thursday, January 29^th

o   Thursday, February 19^th

o   Thursday, March 12^th

o   Thursday, March 26^th

o   All meetings at 10:00 a.m.

§  Action Requested: Using the dates above, adopt a meeting schedule through the end of the EDA-MRPC grant term (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026)

·         Information and actions items will address existing to-be-nominated brownfields for ESAs and accomplishment of EDA tasks including the completion of “performance measures.”

11:00 a.m.

Adjournment