United States Solid Waste And EPA 510-F-00-006 Environmental Protection Emergency Response October 2000 Agency (5401G) www.epa.gov Underground StorageTanks And Brownfields Sites: Questions And Answers The USTfields Initiative is a program within EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) which addresses abandoned or idle industrial and commercial property where redevelopment is hindered by petroleum contamination from abandoned, federally-regulated underground storage tanks (USTs). These properties are often former gasoline service stations, car dealerships, or other industrial sites that have been abandoned and left undeveloped due to fears of liability and expensive cleanup. EPA is committed to helping states, communities, tribes, and territories address potential contamination, restore environmental quality, and foster redevelopment of these once productive properties. One way that EPA is helping is through its USTfields pilots. Following are frequently asked questions and answers about the USTfields pilots. ------- •••Hi' m They are similar, but with one major difference - USTfields address petroleum contamination from federally-regulated underground storage tanks. Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by perceived or actual environmental contamination. However, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) limits EPA's involvement at Brownfields sites where contamination includes petroleum and petroleum- related products. The USTfields initiative will address those sites where CERCLA limits EPA involvement because of petroleum contamination from underground storage tanks. Of the estimated 450,000 brownfields, approximately 100,000 to 200,000 contain abandoned underground storage tanks. m As part of the USTfields Initiative, OUST is implementing the USTfields pilots. These pilots will address the abandoned tanks arid petroleum contamination currently excluded from assessment and cleanup at Brownfields sites. In October 2000, EPA selected 10 Pilots to receive up to $100,000 each from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund to assess and clean up petroleum contamination. Money from the LUST Trust Fund cannot be used for redevelopment work, which may be financed by the state, locality, or other sources. However, EPA believes redevelopment will be fostered when the barrier of petroleum contamination is removed from these Brownfields sites. The USTfields pilots will demonstrate what can be done to bring petroleum-impacted Brownfields sites back to productive use for ecological, economic, recreational, or other beneficial purposes. In 2001, EPA plans to competitively bid and select another 40 USTfields pilots. ------- Based on states' previous efforts and interest in this work, EPA selected one state from each of its TO Regions. Each state, or pilot, will select two or more underground storage tank sites from within the state to assess or clean up petroleum contamination from abandoned underground storage tanks. The ten pilots are: Region 1 - New Hampshire in partnership with Nashua Region 2 - New Jersey in partnership with Trenton Region 3 - Delaware in partnership with Wilmington Region 4 - South Carolina in partnership with Anderson Region 5- Illinois in partnership with Chicago Region 6 - New Mexico in partnership with Albuquerque Region 7- Missouri in partnership with Kansas City Region 8 - Utah in partnership with Salt Lake City Region 9 - California in partnership with Oakland Region 10 - Oregon in partnership with Portland Each of thelO pilots was initially associated with an existing EPA Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment initiative. As a result, EPA and the states can work with communities to address the petroleum-related aspects of the sites within the pilot area while taking advantage of the expertise, existing infrastructure, and resources of the Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment initiatives. ------- Jlli i: i s1 .1161 i Biif For general information on EPA's USTfields Initiative, contact Steven McNeely at 703-603-7164; mcneely.steven@epa.gov or Tim Smith at 703-603-7158; smith.timr@epa.gov . The mailing address is: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Underground Storage Tanks, Mail Code 5401G, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. For information on each of the USTfields pilots, contact: Region 1: Susan Hanamoto, hanamoto.susan@epa.gov, (617)918-1219 Region 2: Ben Singh, singh.ben@epa.gov, (212) 637-4237 RegionS: Karen Bowen, bowen.karen@epa.gov, (215) 814-3382; Jack Hwang, hwang.jack@epa.gov, (215) 814-3387 Region 4: Dana Hayworth, hayworth.dana@epa.gov, (404) 562-9481 RegionS: Arturo Cisneros, cisneros.arturo@epa.gov, .' (312) 886-7447 RegionS: Christine Cherrett, cherrett.christine@epa.gov, (214) 665-7342 Region 7: Janet Hallier, hallier.janet@epa.gov, (913) 551-7532 Region 8: Joe Ann Taylor, taylor.joe@epa.gov, (303) 312-6152 Region 9: Matt Small, small.matthew@epa.gov, (415) 744-2078; April Katsura, katsura.april@epa.gov, (415) 744-2024 Region 10: Wally Moon, moon.wally@epa.gov, (206) 553-6903 For further information on the USTfields Initiative, see www.epa.gov/oust/ .^SSiiM^ w-SESS „,„*,„, EPA and the state have not yet negotiated the Cooperative Agreement to fund this pilot; therefore, activities are subject to change. ------- |