£EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency OSWER Environmental Justice Success Stories Report (FY 1999-2001) ------- OSWER Environmental Justice Success Stories Report (FY 1999-2001) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Washington, DC 20460 September 2002 United States Office of EPA500-F-02-118 Environmental Protection Brownfields Cleanup and www.epa.gov/oswer Agency Redevelopment (5105T) September2002 ------- It is with great pleasure that I share this report of successful projects that demonstrate the progress we have made in addressing environmental justice in the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It has been, and continues to be, OSWER's policy that programs administered by OSWER demonstrate fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people from all cultures, races, and incomes, without exception. In the past, OSWER published "Waste Programs Environmental Justice Accomplishments Re- ports," which only listed accomplishments in environmental justice. This time, we have devel- oped a new report titled "OSWER Environmental Justice Success Stories (FY 1999-2001)," which not only lists OSWER's accomplishments, but also shows how OSWER promotes environmental justice by advocating revitalization/reuse projects to help foster economic development, as well as training and outreach projects to educate communities about environmental justice issues. In an effort to continue and maintain OSWER's commitment to environmental justice, it is our responsibility to build the capacity of OSWER personnel, foster and grow existing initiatives, ensure coordination between the OSWER headquarters office and the EPA Regions to identify and address issues of environmental justice, and to evaluate programmatic subject matters, as well as our new initiatives, for the possibility of disproportionately high and adverse impacts on minority populations and/or low income populations. In addition, documentation of our efforts is vital to the success of our waste program. I hope that you enjoy the success stories included in this report. While we are proud of our accomplishments, we recognize that more must be done to address the health and well-being of all communities, including low income and minority communities, and to help ensure that they play a meaningful role in decisions that affect them. Marianne Horlnko ------- Table of Contents About This Report 4 What Is Environmental Justice 5 OSWER's Commitment to Environmental Justice 5 OSWER's Environmental Justice Action Agenda 6 Environmental Justice Success Stories Included in this Report 7 Environmental Justice Success Stories: Brownfields Job Training and Revitalization 9 Superfund 29 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 47 Environmental Justice Awareness Training 59 Community Involvement, Outreach, and Planning 63 Glossary 70 Index of Projects by Office or Region 73 ------- D This OSWER Environmental Justice Success Stories Report for fiscal years 1 999 through 2001 is different than the environmental justice accomplishments reports developed in past years by the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER). This time, the report is structured to demonstrate and promote OSWER's efforts to incorporate environmental justice into its programs by documenting not only accomplishments, but also the lessons learned and benefits derived from OSWER's experiences. There are 48 success stories included in this report and they are organized into five different sections: (1) Brownfields Training and Revitalization; (2) Superfund; (3) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); (4) Environmental Justice Awareness Training; and (5) Community Involvement, Outreach, and Planning. These stories highlight projects that best demon- strate OSWER's success in integrating environmental justice into its programs. The success stories in this report present an important lesson learned: EPA needs to include environmental justice communities in the decision-making process to ensure successful projects. In addition, it is critical for EPA to provide these communities with the tools to help them sustain themselves after EPA's role in their communities ends. Other lessons presented in the different stories include the importance of: developing effective partner- ships with all stakeholders; tailoring outreach tools to the needs of the communities (e.g., Spanish translations, evening and weekend meetings, and toll-free information hotlines); ensuring that job training efforts are pro- vided in areas where sustainable employment will be available to graduates; ensuring frequent and effective communication among all stakeholders; providing a central information center that is accessible by all commu- nity members; and soliciting the views of all community residents, not just the views of one community group. The compilation of these projects also represents an example of OSWER's continued support, commitment, and accountability in addressing the issue of environmental justice and its integration into all activities sponsored by OSWER's waste programs according to EPA's definition of environmental justice and consistent with existing environmental laws and their respective implementing regulations. ------- D mental Justice? Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, coloi, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including a racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, loco , and triba programs and policies. E n vi r on mental justice communities are minority and. or low income group communities t licit often ore exc luded from the environmental policy setting and/or decision-making process and are subject to a disproportionate impact from one or more environmental hazards. These communities experience a disparate implementation of environmental regulations, requirements, practices, and activities. Environmental justice is about real people facing real problems and designing practical solutions to address challenging environmental issues. The environmental justice movement advocates programs that promote environmental protection within the context of sustainable development. Utilizing var lous methods, inc luding traditional knowledge about the ecosystem and community mobilization, the environmental justice c community has become a formidable force in the protection of both urban and rural environments. OSWER's Commitment to Environmental Justice In her memorandum, dated August 9, 2001, EPA Administrator Christine Tocid Whitman expressed the Agency's firm commitment to the issue of environmental justice and its integration into all EPA programs in order to ensure that environmental justice is achieved for all communities and persons CK loss the Nation. The Administrator also stated in that memorandum that "environmental justice is achieved when everyone, regard- less of race, culture, or income, enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in whit h to live, learn, and work." OSWER ensures that environmental justice is considered in all ot its daily programmatic at tivities. F or example, OSWER evaluates the environmenta risks and hazards in minority communities and low income communities and takes proactive efforts to ensure that all people living in these communities are given the opportunity to play an equal and meaningful role in the decision-making process before, during, and after the evaluation, cleanup, and redevelopment of sites identified as posing environmental risks and hazards. OSWER has a history of providing leadership, issuing guidance documents, and leading initiatives to address the environmental justice issue. In 1 994, for the first time, OSWER announced its policy on environmental justice. The following year, OSWER issued guidance pertaining to prospective pure haser agreements, recog- nizing the important role that communities should play when environmental justice is an issue. A day later, OSWER cJitected that special efforts be taken when identifying the reasonable anticipated future use of land for remedy selection purposes at sites where environmental justice concerns may be present. In 200 1, OSWER issued a directive on early and meaningful community involvement to ensure a meaningful role by impacted communities in EPA cleanup actions. In addition, OSWER made available technu al assistance grants to community-based organizations, integrated environmental justice issues into its Biownfields initiatives, c continu- ously participated in the Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice through its Demonstra- tion Projects, and active y participated in the National Environmenta Justice Advisory Council by sponsoring the Waste Facility and Siting Subcommittee. ------- OSWER's Environmental Justice Action Agenda On February 11,1 994, Executive Order 1 2898, "Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations," was signed to focus the attention of federal agencies on the environmental and human health conditions of minority and low-income communities. This Executive Order directed federal agencies to develop environmental justice strategies that identify and address disproportion- ately high exposure and adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations. The Executive Order also required that agencies c onduct activities that substantially affect human health or the environment in a nondiscriminatory manner. In response to this Executive Order, EPA released "Environmental Justice Strategy: Executive Order 1 2898" in May 1 995. This strategy described environmental justice efforts in six cross-cutting mission areas: health and environmental research; data collection, analysis and stakeholder access to information; enforcement and compliance assurance; partnerships, outreach, and communication with stakeholders; Native American, indigenous, and tribal programs; and integration of environmental justice into all agency activities. OSWER was the first EPA Program Office to develop an environmental justice strategy as part of the Agency-wide effort to address environmental justice issues. This strategy was laid out in OSWER's Action Agenda, which supplements and enhances the Agency's strategy. This Action Agenda, which was developed with input from the National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (NEJAC), describes an ongoing process of addressing environmental justice, provides a concise summary of OSWER's current strategy, and describes an implementation process for ensuring that major issues, identified by the NEJAC and others, continue to be recognized and addiessed. OSWER's Action Agenda establishes a "living process" through which action items are continuously enhanced and solutions are developed for evolving environmental justice issues. Prior reports, current implementation plans, and future reports all play a part in the process to continuously address environmental justice concerns. The Action Agenda describes the key action items organized by OSWER-wide and program-specific issues and action items. The process of implementing these action items and the reporting of progress is the subject of the final chapter. At the same time EPA announced the release of its Action Agenda, OSWER released its first "Waste Programs Environmental Justice Accomplishments Report," which described the progress made by EPA's waste programs in implementing environmental justice initiatives. This report described over 250 environmental justice projects initiated by both EPA Headquarters and the Regional offices. Updates to this report were published twice by the Agency; one in June 1 997 and another in May 2000. These reports provided updates to past projects and information on new projects. All three reports were divided into two sections: cross-cutting issues, which pre- sented initiatives in areas that have implications for all waste programs, and program-specific issues, which presented initiatives that focused on a particular waste program. Individual entries in each section generally i ellei led etc tions taken since March 1 995. On August 2 1 , 200 1 , EPA Administrator Christine Whitman issued a memo reaffirming EPA's commitment to environmental justice. Administrator Whitman stressed that the Agency needs to conduct its programs and en livities that substantially affect human health and the environment in a manner that ensures the fair treatment of all people, including minority populations and/or low-income populations. She said the Agency should ensure greater public participation in the Agency's development and implementation of environmental regula- tions and policies. In support of this memo, OSWER continues to promote environmental justice by advocating revitalization and reuse programs that help foster economic: development. It also supports training and outreach programs to ecluc ate communities about environmental justice issues. Through successful training and commitment of management and staff, environmental justice is and will continue to be a significant program in OSWER. ------- D Environmental Justice Success Stories Included "in this Report Brownfields Job Training and Revitalization Brownfieids Job Training The New Bedford, Massachusetts, Brownfields Environmental Job Training Program (Region Btownfields Job Training and Development Pilots (Region 2) Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilots ('Region 7i Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, North Dakota: San Haven Redevelopment Brownfields Project and Brownfields Job Training Grant (Region 8! Brownfieids Revitalizution Returning Vacant Lots in Providence, Rhode Island, to Productive Reuse (Region 1 j Brownfields Program Development in Puerto Rico (Region 2) Brownfields and Waterfront Development (Reckon 2) PECO Remediation and Redevelopment Project, Chester, Pennsylvania (Region 3) Environmental Justice Demonstration Pilot in Spartanburg, South Carolina (Region 4) .. Protecting Children's Health and Reducing Lead Exposure through Collaborative Partnerships (Region 5! Wellston, Missouri, Brownfields Redevelopment With Habitat for Humanity (Region 7! . South Westminster Brownfields Project, City of Westminster, Colorado (Region 8' Superfund Eastern Surplus Company Superfund Site: Cleanup and Cultural Resource Protection {Region I' The 76-80 Pliny Street Superfund Site Removal Action (Region /,) Superfund Cleanups Conducted in Massena, New York, With Tribal Assistance (Region 2} 1 he Anacostia River Initiative (Region o'j Logan Removal Site: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Region 3) Community Involvement at Two Superfund Sites in Annrston, Alabama (Region 4} Escambia Treating Company Superfund Activity Update (Region -J! Supplementa Environmental Project for Emergency Preparedness and Response and Community Right-to-Know (Region 6) ------- Dynamite Removal Near the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe's Village in Sisseton, South Dakota (Reg/on 8} ; 41 Newmark Superfund Site, MuscoyOperable Unit (Reg/on 9) 42 Purity Oil Sales Superfund Site (Region 9) - 44 Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mine Project, Water Data Outreach Effort (Region 9) 45 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Development of Waste Transfer Station Guidance Documents (OSWER) 47 CBS Corp./Viacom Site in Bridgeport, Connecticut (Region 1) 48 Community Involvement in Setting RCRA Program Priorities (Region 2) 49 Improving Solid Waste Management on Tribal Lands (Region 2) ,. 51 Environmental Justice Analysis in Northwest Indiana (Region 5) 52 RCRA Corrective Action Success in South Omaha (Region 7) 53 FY 2001 Hamilton Sundstrand Corrective Action in Denver, Colorado (Region 8) 54 Making Siting Decisions for a Corrective Action Management Unit at the BP-Amoco Site in Casper, Wyoming (Region 8) 55 Alaska Native Health Board Solid Waste Demonstration Project (Region 10) 55 Hansville Landfill and the Pt. Gamble S'Klallam Tribe (Region 10) 56 Environmental Justice Awareness Training Environmental Justice Training in Region 4 (FY1 999) (Region 4) 59 Mississippi Statewide Environmental Justice Summit (Region 4) 60 All-Indian Pueblo Council's Pueblo Office of Environmental Protection (POEP) Dip Vat Bioremediation Pilot Project (Region 6) 61 Environmental Justice Awareness Training in Region 7 (Region 7) 62 Community Involvement, Outreach, and Planning Collaborative Model of the People of Color and Disenfranchised Communities (POC/DC) Environmental Health Network and Federal Agencies (Region 4) 63 Teachers Environmental Institutes (Region 4) 64 Metro East Lead Collaborative Partnership (Region 5) 66 Community Involvement in Environmental Justice Communities (Region 6) 68 Outreach to Schools in Environmental Justice Communities (Region 7) 69 ------- OSWER's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to cleanup abandoned properties that bring blight and decay to their surrounding communities. Many of these sites are brownfields, which means, by definition, that all or a portion of them have actual or perceived contamination and a real potential for reuse after cleanup. Through this initiative, OSWER provides grants of up to $200,000 for assessment demonstration pilots and job training pilots. The assessment demonstration pilot grants are used to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models. The job training pilot grants provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field. Reqion Srownfields Job Training The New Bedford, Massachusetts, Brownfields Environmental Job Training Program Project Activity Since 1 998, the City of New Bedford, in partnership with New Directions and Bristol Community College, has offered a Brownfields Environmental Job Training Program (the Program). The Program is partially funded with a $200,000 EPA Brownfields Job Train- ing grant. The Program offers a 1 7-week Environ- mental Tech Aide training course twice each year to provide underemployed area residents with the tools necessary to assess, remediate, and redevelop brownfields and hazardous waste-related sites, and to provide a local labor force that can be employed in assessing and remediating such sites. The training program includes the study of sampling, analysis, and site remediation using innovative technologies. The Program provides an education in both technical expertise and professional and life skills development to residents living in communities impacted by brownfields. Project Participants The City of New Bedford, New Directions, and Bristol Community College worked together to develop the technical curriculum and to provide educators and facilities for the Program. Founded in 1993, New Directions is an administrative entity that manages Job Training Partnership Act and Welfare to Work funds for the Greater New Bedford Service Delivery Area. New Directions provides educational, training, and placement services to over 5,000 economically disadvantaged and dislocated workers annually. Project Benefits As of June 2001, 39 students completed the Program. Twenty-seven are employed in the environmental field, six are working outside the field, and one is continuing his/her education. Many of the students were unemployed, underem- ployed, participating in a welfare-to-work pro- gram, or otherwise disadvantaged prior to entering the Program. A number of the graduates are now employed full-time and earning living wages with full benefits. Many graduates will have opportunities for further education through their employers. Some graduates reported the desire and means to earn an Associates or Bachelors degree based on the skills and confi- dence gained through their experience with New Directions. Due to the project's success, EPA awarded the New Bedford Job Training Pilot an additional $75,000 in FY 2001 to further their Program. ------- Lessons Learned Collaborative efforts among state and local governmental entities, local businesses, and non- profit community-based organizations to imple- ment and manage Job Training Programs help to make these Programs successful. Project Contacts Theresa Carroll EPA Region 1, Brownfieids Program (617) 918-1305 carroll.theresa@epa.gov Scott Alfonse City of New Bedford (508) 979-1487 Reqion rownfields Job.'Trainin- Brownfieids Job Training and Development Pilots Project Activity Brownfieids Job Training and Development Pilot grants of up to $200,000 are awarded to community colleges and non-profit organizations through a nationwide competition. The grants are used to provide unemployed and underemployed residents of Brownfieids Assessment Pilot communities with envi- ronmental technician training that emphasizes alterna- tive and innovative remedial technologies. Approxi- mately ten job training grants are awarded each year. Grant applicants must demonstrate a need, their institutional capacity to provide environmental techni- cian training in alternative and innovative technolo- gies, and the ability to establish appropriate partner- ships that provide ancillary job and life skills training and job placement and tracking. Each of the grantees must recruit, screen, train, place, and track trainees using a locally appropriate strategy. EPA Region 2 provides hands-on technical assistance to the grantees through an assigned project manager who maintains ongoing contact with the grantee. Project Participants FY 98-00 NJ Youth Corps, Camden and Newark, New Jersey FY 99-01 Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez, Puerto Rico FY 00-02 NJ Youth Corps, Middlesex County and Phillipsburg, New Jersey FY 00-02 State University of New York at Buffalo, New York FY 01 -03 Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, New York FY 99-01 STRIVE, Massachusetts (Region 1 grantee working with Region 2 institutions) Since 1 998, Region 2 has worked with six Brownfieids Job Training and Assessment Pilots. The grantees, their primary partners, and their respective roles are described briefly below. It should be recognized that each of these projects has numerous additional partners ranging from churches and tenants associa- tions to private-sector environmenta firms and unions that assisted with trainee recruitment, provided expert advice on the curriculum, hosted field trips, and considered trainees for employment. Job Training Partnerships FY 98-00 NJ Youth Corps, Camden and Newark, New Jersey New Jersey Youth Corps partners included Camden Youth Corps and Newark Youth Corps, which are part of the International Youth Organization of Newark. The Youth Corps sites provided career exposure and job readiness programs, attitudinal training, GED preparation, counseling, linkage to social services, internship placement, and tracking support. Trainees had to complete 1 20 community service hours prior to enrolling. The training partner was the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), which provided the 1 50-hourenvironmental technician training. The curriculum emphasized alternative and innovative remedial technologies. Most of the training was held at community centers by NJIT instructors and included technology demonstrations. FY 00-02 NJ Youth Corps, Middlesex County and Phillipsburg, New Jersey This training also was provided by NJIT and was held in the communities at the local Youth Corps program centers. The local Youth Corps programs provided the services listed above, as well as crew leaders who provided support throughout the training. Trainees had to complete a 1 20-hour community service 10 ------- project prior to enrolling. Rather than internship placement, trainees were provided job placement support. FY 99-01 Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez, Puerto Rico The Universidad Metropolitana (UMET), which is part of the Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez, imple- mented this job training program by partnering with Peninsula de Cantera, a community organization serving the Cantera area outside of metropolitan San Juan (population 1 1,500). Residents in this Hispanic community suffer from an 82 percent poverty rate and a 35 percent unemployment rate among adults participating in the labor force. Less than one-quarter of the residents have finished high school. Peninsula de Cantera provided recruitment, screening, and basic job training and placement support. UMET instructors provided the training in the communities during evening sessions in space made available by Peninsula de Cantera. EPA and the Environmental Quality Board of Puerto Rico were among the agencies that provided technical support, guest speakers, and technology demonstrations. FY 00-02 State University of New York at Buffalo, New York The Western New York Brownfields Training Initiative was designed to help improve the environmental and economic conditions of the brownfields-impacted communities of western New York by providing a high quality educational experience to disadvantaged residents. The western New York program includes unemployed, welfare to work, environmental justice communities, and other disadvantaged populations. The State University of New York at Buffalo, the City of Buffalo, and Niagara County have teamed with community organizations, private sector firms, and local workforce development and training programs to provide environmental technician training. This initiative targets residents living in brownfields-affected neighborhoods in Niagara County, a community with a significantly higher than average unemployment rate. This initiative has helped trainees master a difficult and complex course of study, which included 240 training hours. Most graduates have taken advan- tage of this opportunity and used their training to go into jobs that are considerably better than any they have held in the past. FY 01 -03 Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (TRIP), Troy NY The Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program is partnering with the Hudson Valley Improvement Program, Hudson Valley Community College Workforce Development Institute, Rensselaer Polytech- nic Institute, the North Central Neighborhood Associa- tion, and the private sector. TRIP will coordinate the program and partners will help with recruitment, curriculum design and delivery, and job placement. FY99-01 STRIVE, Massachusetts (Region 1 grantee working with Region 2 institutions) The nationwide STRIVE career development program received a Job Training grant to train unemployed residents of Chelsea, Massachusetts, and to seed a program in New York City. EPA Region 2 provided technical assistance to the Harlem STRIVE and Brooklyn STRIVE programs, which established an advisory network comprised of labor unions, public sector agencies, community organizations, and the private sector. Ultimately, the Brooklyn STRIVE center took on the program and contracted to Clean Harbors forthe environmental technician training. Project Benefits The Brownfields Job Training Pilots provide unem- ployed and underemployed persons living In brownfields-impacted communities with the skills needed to secure employment in the environmental field. The pilots support municipal efforts to employ local community members as trained technicians. As of the end of fiscal year 2001, the Region 2 pilots have enrolled a total of 1 48 students. Of these, 1 04 graduated from the program and 78 were placed into jobs: NJ Youth Corps, Camden & Newark This pilot enrolled 25 people, graduated 23, and placed 21 in internships or higher education. Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez, Puerto Rico This pilot enrolled 30 people; 1 5 completed the training and five are currently employed. NJ Youth Corps In Middlesex, 1 3 people were enrolled in the training, six graduated, four are still in training, and two of the graduates are employed with an average hourly wage of $8. In Phillipsburg, 20 people were enrolled in the program, and all graduated and were able to find employment with an average hourly wage of $ 1 0. ------- State University of New York (SUNY)-Buffalo This pilot enrolled 16 people, graduated 12, and placed 8 into jobs. The graduates were placed as environmental technicians for contractors firms in Western New York. Their wage rates range from $ 1 0 per hour to $25 per hour. The Western New York Brownfields Training Initiative is in the process of starting its second training cycle. TRIP This pilot has developed an advisory board and is designing the curriculum. STRIVE Brooklyn and St. Nicholas Community Development Corporation This pilot enrolled 15 people. Fourteen graduated from the program and 12 were placed in jobs. St. Nicholas screened 72 clients for 20 positions as 'Ground Zero' World Trade Center responders. Project Contacts Chelsea Albucher Brownfields Project Manager EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4291 albucher.chelsea@epa.gov Schenine Mitchell Brownfields Project Manager EPA Region 2 (212) 637-3283 mitchell.schenine@epa.gov Lessons Learned Early and ongoing community involvement with neighborhood organizations, public agencies, and the private sector helps to ensure a successful program that includes the design of an appropri- ate curriculum and the provision of a support system. Pilots that formed advisory groups early on and kept them engaged had a higher rate of job placement than those without advisory boards or networks. Pilots that included 'a training monitor had a much lower rate of attrition than those without. The training monitor attended each training session, which provided continuity among the rotating host of instructors (often contractors). The training monitor also provided support to the instructors, tutored the trainees and, when necessary, provided social service referrals to enable trainees to complete the program. Environmental technician positions are often a'new career sector for job placement specialists. There- fore, job placement specialists should be involved in the curriculum design and included on the advisory board to help them become acquainted with the field, potential employers, and the range of potential placements. In turn, the placement specialists often provide valuable input to the job readiness strategy and curriculum design. 12 ------- Region 6: Brownfields Job Training The Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI)'s Minority Worker Training Program and the Brownfields Showcase Community Minority Worker Training Grants Program Project Activity Both the SuperJTI Minority Worker Training Program and the Brownfields Showcase Community Minority Worker Training Grants Program have two main goals: 1) to work in partnership with unions via appicnticeship programs, local community-based organizations, and local academic institutions to implement a comprehensive education and job training program that will address cleanup and redevelopment in the target areas; and 21 to assist the loc (il i ommunily c olleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in promoting worker health and safety through education and training delivered by these academic institutions. Dallas, lexas A two-year Brownfields Showcase Community grunt awarded in FY99 for $220,572 provided training for residents living in the entire west Dallas community. The grant helped the community implement an outreach and recruitment strategy that identified 'ruining participants for FY99 and FYOO. Bernnlillo County, New Mexico Bernalillo County was awarded $200,000 in FY99 to implement a two- year program to train 60 students. Four out of 10 students finished the first training eye e. Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX)/'' McCommas Bluff Job Training Pro|ect, Dallas, fexas TEEX was awarded $200,000 in October 1 998 to implement a two-year program. The training was completed for six groups of students, and 43 students completed the course. Houston Community College (HCC), Houston, lexas HCC was awarded $200,000 in October I 999 and committed to training 1 00 students. Due to technical and administrative difficulties, HCC trained only approximately 1 8 students and tried to rework their entire program. RSR Smelter Site, Dallas, Texas In FY99, the RSR Smelter Site was awarded a one-year National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIET IS) SuperJTI grant for $ 1 50,000 to train 1 5 residents living near the RSR Smelter Superfund site in west Dallas. Classes included study skills, life skills, math skills, lead/asbestos abatement and HAZMA1 tram ing, and brownfields related pre-appienticeship technical training in construction and envuonmenta remediation. The grant also helped students with job development and job placement. The training started on April 19, 1999, and all students graduated in the early summer. Many Diversified Interests, Inc. (MDI), Houston, Texas At the request of c ommunity residents living near the MDI site, EPA worked with Laborers AGC, Houston Works, SEARCH, and Make Ready, Inc. to recruit 32 students for'two sessions of SuperJTI classes that started in January 1 999. Classes included study skills, life skills, math skills, lead/asbestos abatement, and HAZMAT training. Twenty-eight students gradu- ated from the program and received certifications in lead/asbestos abatement and HAZMAT. As a follow- up, the community requested that EPA Region 6 offer a second round of SuperJTI classes, which it did in early 2000. The original group of community supporters helped ensure that the classes continued. Project Participants The most important participants weie the students taking the classes. However, the project would not have been possible without multiple partner's, me ud- iny: The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS1 Xaviet University in New Orleans Clark Atlanta University, whic h received two Minority Worker Training Program giants to develop and implement the training under two cooperative agreements ------- D Other partners included: Bernalillo County government Laborers AGC Houston Works SEARCH Make Ready, Inc. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service Houston Community College in Texas Project Benefits The combined training grants: provided environmental remediation training to more than 1 00 students and gave environmental justice community groups and other stakeholders the opportunity to enhance their pb skills; and allowed Region 6 SupeiJTI staff to interact with environmental justice communities and learn techniques applicable to other minority training pilots. Region 7: Brownfields Job Training Lessons Learned Always ensure that community partners are knowl- edgeable about community residents. Immediately involve city social structures in projects when training is first considered. Know the job market in a community before introducing an opportunity for training. Ensure that training participants are aware that EPA is not promising jobs; EPA can only provide job training opportunities. Track the number of participants being trained in your programs. Bring prospective employers into the picture before training begins. Project Contact Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilots Project Activity Project Participants SiiKe I 998, the Region 7 Brownfields Job Training program has (mined residents living in and around toui brownfields pilot communities for employment rotated to waste management, site assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfields proper- ties whose reuse has been impeded by contamina- tion. Many biownfields properties are located in <. ommunities with low income, a high percentage of minorities, or both. A number of these commu- nities cue located in or near an Empowerment Zone Enter prise Community. The biownfields grant recipients are colleges and universities, nonprofit training centers, job training organizations, states, cities, towns, counties, and Indian tribes. The grant recipient receives 5200,000 ovei a two-year period to tram residents. Project Benefits Shawn Grmdstaff, Directoi Rural Brownfielcls Center, Mineral Area College ------- enhance their lives. Participants also receive life skills training in areas such as time-management, personal marketing, presentation skills, and money manage- ment, thereby giving them basic knowledge that will help them in their daily work activities. One hundred forty-one participants of these pro- grams have completed all training requirements. Eighty-six participants obtained employment that earned them an average of $13.46 per hour. Two additional Region 7 communities that have recently applied for job training pilots include Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa, and Ozarks Technica Community College in Springfield, Missouri. The announcement of this year's Brownfields Job Training grant recipient will be made at the end of December 2001 . Project Contact Tina Loweiy Environmental Protection Specialist EPA Region 7 (9I3J 551 7964 lowety.tinad < 'epa.gov Lessons Learned Every year the Brownfields Job Training Pilots meet to discuss the program and exchange information on potential pilot communities. Lessons learned discus- sions help to produce guidelines and expectations for future pilots. Lessons learned include: Multi-focused courses that teacli life and environ- mental skills is advantageous. Developing relationships over time with students, employers, and other colleges opens doors for students. Recognizing that all students need to be valued for what they do, and that each student has his/her own personal reason for lack of employment, fostered a healthy learning environment. Advertising the training by word of mouth is the best way to get the community interested. Preparing for setbacks and working through them with perseverance and endurance is critica foi success. Knowing specifically what the grant money will be used for avoids future internal problems. Building strong partnerships with community leaders and other local, state, and federal agen- cies is helpful. Strong partnerships with the Brownfields Assessment Pilot Manager helps to make these programs run more smoothly. Region Job Training Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, North Dakota: San Haven Redevelopment Brownfields Project and Brownfields Job Training Grant Project Activity The Job Training grants are intended to train disad- vantaged populations affected by brownfields sites to facilitate cleanup of the sites and prepare for future employment in the environmental field. As part of this project, the Tribe purchased the former State Mental Rehabilitation Hospital in 1 992, which is located on 600 acres near the Reservation, not far from the Canadian bordei and the International Peace Garden. The state performed remedial activities for asbestos contamination, underground storage tanks, and contaminated soil and water removal. By the late 1 990s, 3 1 structures remained, and many of them had been vandalized and sal- vaged. The Tribe received a Brownfields Site Assess- ment grant from EPA in 1 998 to determine the extent of potential contamination from several sources to the soil, groundwater, wetlands, and septic system. ------- Additional contamination resulted from the release of asbestos and lead-based paint to the environment, open dumping, and two landfills. During the assess- ment process, Turtle Mountain Community College competed for and received the first Brownfields Job Training grant to be awarded from EPA to a tribe. Project Participants The Brownfields Site Assessment grant is managed by the Tribal Planning Office. The Site Assessment Project Manager coordinates with the Job Training Project Manager at Turtle Mountain Community College. The college hopes to capitalize on other environmental employment opportunities that may arise during the training and to prepare the students for future livable wage employment in the environ- mental sector with a two-year environmental technical degree. During student training, an issue arose on the Reservation related to black mold contamination. Plans are underway to train a number of students and supervisors to clean up black mold where it poses a health risk to people. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) conducted a contaminant survey and decided not to bring the property into the Tribal Trust until the possible con- tamination issues are Investigated and resolved. EPA's Region 8 Emergency Response Program removed the asbestos from the abandoned and salvaged build- ings. The project became part of the ten-year strategic plan for Roulette County, which has been designated a Champion Community by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an Underutilized Business Zone by the U.S. Department of Commerce. These designations will be beneficial when the Tribe applies for federal redevelopment and cleanup grants. As the Tribe, the North Dakota State Health Depart- ment, the Tribe's contractor under the brownfields grant, and EPA started holding meetings and confer- ence calls, it became apparent that the costs to clean up and refurbish the buildings would be very high. A new and exciting vision evolved that centered around 1 60 recently discovered teepee rings, a burial site, and the foundations of an old Scandinavian settle- ment village. Over 250,000 tourists visit the Interna- tional Peace Garden (just north of the property) each year and might be enticed to visit an information center or an artist studio and be led past an elk herd while going on tours of the recreated Tribal and Scandinavian villages. Additional activities, such as Pow Wows, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and overnighting at a recreational vehicle park, could attract other visitors. The group explored the possibility of hiring a salvage company to dismantle and sell historic brick, other marketable items, and salvageable debris. The group also considered using students trained under the Brownfields Job Training grant to support the salvage operations in addition to their environmental cleanup jobs. But an accident at San Haven resulted in a decision to demolish the property in a more timely manner. During this period, the U.S. Depart- ment of Justice (DOJ) became a new partner, and brought to the project the possibility of obtaining grant to refurbish two buildings on the San Haven property where Tribal youth can be rehabilitated for a variety of problems. The Tribal Brownfields Project Manager and the North Dakota State Health Department are exploring potential grants for cleanup and redevelopment activities from the Economic Development Administra- tion and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Tribe is also working with the state's Congressional staff and the University of North Dakota Law School and applying for fundirtg from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Native Americans. Project Benefits The project is reestablishing 600 aesthetically pleasing, cleaned up, and productive acres. It is creating new and sustainable jobs for tribal residents who have been negatively impacted by the environmental contamination, while offering opportunities to be part of a safe solution to cleaning up and redeveloping the property. Also, other environmental jobs or employment may be created as a result of the property's reuse. The project is addressing health and safety concerns related to the contamination, vandalism, and structural issues at the San Haven site. The project provides an opportunity for the Tribe to share its cultural history and values with a much larger population. The project establishes better partnerships with the Tribal Planning Office and Turtle Mountain Community College, Bureau of Indian Affairs, EPA, the State Health Department, Roulette County Redevelopment Empowerment Board, historical organizations, Congressional staff, and others that will become involved later in the process. 16 ------- Lessons Learned Most of the funding to address the contamination problems and redevelop the property needs to come from sources outside of the Tribe. All of these funding efforts are complicated by the fact that the resources available to a rural North Dakota Tribal community are very limited. By combining the knowledge, skills, expertise, and resources of as many stakeholders as possible, the original vision is changing, but a viable reuse of the property is being developed. The incident related to physical safety at San Haven focused attention on the project and resulted in more Tribal administration and commu- nity involvement, accelerating the decision-making process. Project Contacts /Cathie Atencio Brownfields Coordinator EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6803 atendo.kathie@epa.gov Mary Ahlstrom Brownfields Project Manager EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6626 ahlstrom.mary@epa.gov Region 1 : Brownfields Revitalization Returning Vacant Lots in Providence, Rhode Island, to Productive Reuse Project Activity The City of Providence (population 150,000) is a major commercia , financial, and industrial center located in southeastern New England at the head of Narragansett Bay on the Atlantic sea coast. The city contains nearly 4,000 vacant lots, each posing significant environmental and public health risks to residents. Most vacant lots are littered with illegally dumped trash and other solid and hazardous waste, serve as breeding grounds for rats, and provide unsafe and potentially dangerous conditions to children. In 1 995, EPA Region 1 launched a pilot program called the Urban Environmental Initiative (UEI) to address environmental and public health problems in three New England cities, including Providence. Residents of these three cities suffer from a disproportionate level of environmental health risks. One in every three children has elevated blood lead levels. The goals of the multi-year initiative were to: Restore and revitalize urban neighborhoods and improve public health by building local capacity. Deal with environmental and public health prob- lems related to vacant lots and leverage available technical and financial resources to improve the quality of life for urban residents. Eliminate illegal dumping and residential exposure to contamination and public health threats. Return vacant lots to beneficial use. Project Participants Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE) Rhode Island Department of Health City of Providence, Department of Planning and Development City of Providence, Office of Neighborhood Environmental Affairs Southside Community Land Trust Childhood Lead Action Project Brown University, Center for Environmental Studies EPA New England [Urban Environmental Initiative, Environmental Justice Program, and Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)] ------- Project Benefits Vacant Land Task Force Report: UEI, City of Providence, DARE and over 70 community stakeholders worked together to produce a set of comprehensive recommendations to return Providence's 4,000 vacant lots to pro- ductive use. This effort included follow-up activities that engaged Brown University's Center for Environmental Studies to use GIS mapping technology to identify and plot vacant lots across Providence neighborhoods. Providence Environmental Strike Team: UEI provided funding and assistance to form the City of Providence's Environmental Strike Team (PEST) to remove debris, trash, and waste from over 600 lots throughout the city. The PEST program also created a series of multi-lingual public service announcements (PSA's) addressing vacant lots that were played regularly on television and publicized through mailings by the City of Providence Mayor's Office. Soil Sampling for Lead: UEI, OSWER, and an EPA Laboratory responded to our partners' request to sample soil on targeted vacant lots for lead poisoning. UEI worked with OSWER to create a sampling protocol for screen- ing the vacant lots quickly and effectively for the presence of lead and other heavy metals in soi . To date, EPA has sampled over 250 lots and has shared this data with its partners and with local residents through public meetings. EPA, Rl Depart- ment of Health, City of Providence Department of Planning, Childhood Lead Action Project, and DARE created and distributed multi-lingual (English & Spanish) fact sheets to interested community residents outlining local lead laws, what the sampling results mean for families and children, options for mitigating risk through planting and gardening, and contact information. Special Vacant Lot for $1 Program: UEI, DARE, and the City of Providence Department of Planning created a first-of-its kind policy for qualified oca residents to purchase vacant lots for the cost of $ 1 in exchange for taking care of the property. The program has resulted in many formerly vacant properties being transferred to the public so residents can return the ots to productive and safe use. The City of Providence Department of Planning was able to secure funding to remediate vacant lots that contained over 2,000 ppb of lead in soil so the lots cou.ld be safely sold through the Special Vacant Lot for $1 Program. Alice Hicks Mini-Grants Program: UEI worked with DARE, Southside Community Land Trust, and the City of Providence Department of Planning to create the Alice Hicks Mini-Grants Program, which provides grants up to $5,000 to qualified new owners of formerly vacant lots to mitigate risks from lead in soil and to rehabilitate the lots. These grants can be used for landscaping, creating urban gardens and elevated flower beds, or creating other safe reuses of the property. Lessons Learned Residential vacant lots pose significant environmental and public health threats to residents in urban areas and need special attention. EPA's efforts helped support the initiatives of community partners (like DARE and Childhood Lead Action Project) and brought needed technical assistance to the City of Providence, enabling them to return vacant lots to productive reuse. After EPA became a participant at the table, the coalition was able to develop ways to move forward and build upon accomplishments to create a sustainable infrastructure. This project has given the City of Providence the framework to con- tinue to eliminate vacant lot dangers to its residents in the future. Project Contact Kristi N. Rea, Team Leader Urban Environmental Initiative EPA Region 1 (617) 918-1595 rea.kristi@epa.gov ------- Region Brownfields Revitalization Brownfields Program Development in Puerto Rico D Project Activity More than 40 states have developed Voluntary Cleanup Programs (VCPs) to facilitate brownfields cleanup. Community stakeholders, as well as munici- palities, developers, investors, and property owners in Puerto Rico have expressed the need for a clear, predictable, and efficient hazardous waste site voluntary cleanup program with liability relief. Under this project, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board (PREQB) is implementing a VCP to stimulate the remediation and reuse of brownfields sites with low to moderate levels of contamination, such as former industrial properties and adjacent sites. EPA brownfields funding includes support for the core program activities of VCPs. The recipient of these funds in Puerto Rico, the Environmental Quality Board, used this money to research VCPs and create the framework for a program that is being developed through a participatory process. To identify best practices for Puerto Rico, PREQB met with representatives from severe states to learn from other VCPs and received consultation from brownfields policy experts. Based on this research, PREQB developed a VCP program outline. Subse- quently, legislation was passed authorizing PREQB to implement a VCP program and to develop cleanup standards for the island of Puerto Rico. The actual VCP program structure, which includes regulations, financial incentives, and liability relief measures, is being developed through an anticipatory process with legislators, state agencies, and the regulated community. Community organizations were fully involved in the decision-making process. The goal is to provide private parties and others with a streamlined hazardous waste site cleanup process in Puerto Rico. Currently, PREQB is forming an interagency committee to draft regulations and develop technical guidelines. The goal is to coordinate the activities of all appropri- ate offices and to ensure that there are no conflicts with other regulations. PREQB is gathering public input by conducting structured interviews with municipalities, banks, insurance companies, private owners, and environ- mental groups throughout the island. The results of this study will be presented at several bioad stake- holder meetings. The first meeting for key stakeholder and legislators is planned for fall 2002. [he meetings will explain the VCP program and solicit suggestions on program implementation. Under a related project funded by EPA's Biownfields Program, PREQB is working with municipu officials to conduct an inventory of potential brownfield sites. The PREQB will select two to three of these sites for investigation with EPA funds. The PREQB will obtain stakeholder input, ensure the coordination of Com- monwealth agencies, and test programmatic ap- proaches. Project Participants Region 2 Environmental Protection Agency Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Boatd North East Hazardous Substance Reseaich Centei Brownfields stakeholders from the public and private sectors Environmental groups and community based organizations Other Commonwealth agencies Project Benefits Regulatory Authority for Biownfields Based in part on EPA funded research, the Puerto Rico legislature recognized the need foi brownfields legislation and amended the Puerto Rico Environmental Public Policy Act (Law H 9) to give the PREQB the authority to establish a VCP Streamlined Program The outcome of this effort will streamline brownfields redevelopment by providing policy programs and tools for public and private sector participation in hazardous waste site cleanup. Brownfields Reclamation Ultimately, this effort will allow Puerto Rico to reclaim brownfields for a variety of uses, including open space, housing, and economic develop- ment. 19 ------- Lessons Learned Research into a variety of state VCPs and best practices has helped the PREQB avoid "reinventing the wheel" and has provided policy and proce- dural models and lessons that can be adapted into a program that best fits Puerto Rico's needs. The expertise and resources from the Hazardous Substance Research Center have been an asset to PREQB's program development and a resource for staff and other brownfields stakeholders. Open communication and early and ongoing broad stakeholder involvement has been a key factor in the smooth development of this program. Project Contact Nur/a A/lun/z Puerto Rico Brownfields Project Manager EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4302 muniz.nuria@epa.gov Keqion Brownfie Revitdiization Brownfields and Waterfront Development Project Activity To address commitments made at the March 6, 1 999, meeting of the Council on Environmental Quality Federal Interagency Task Force on Environmental Justice in New York City, EPA Region 2 worked with federal, state, city, and community organization partners to hold two interactive educational forums. These forums were designed to enhance stakeholder ability to engage in waterfront land use planning and development, enhance stakeholder ability to promote open space, and enhance stakeholder ability to revitalize brownfields in New York City. The Forums allowed participants to share information, experience, and perspectives in order to proactively set the stage for increased partnerships and community involve- ment in decisions affecting the environment. Together, the Subcommittee on Open Space, Water- front Development, and Brownfields: held a series of working meetings from July 1 999 to July 2000; held a workshop in January 2000 titled "Water- front Development: Reinventing the Working Waterfront/' which was attended by 1 60 people; and held a Brownfields Roundtable for 60 key partici- pants. In response to commitments to provide technical assistance about waterfront land use and open space, the Subcommittee on Open Space Initiatives, Water- front Development, and Brownfields was established in June 1 999. The EPA Emergency and Remedial Response Division Environmental Justice/Brownfields contact was requested to share subcommittee facilita- tion with two community organization representatives. The EPA contact provided coordination and subcom- mittee co-facilitation until agencies with relevant authority came to the table. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Park Service, and the New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) Ports Authority designated agency leads for the Subcommittee in November 1 999. The first Subcommittee meeting was held July 27, 1 999, and monthly meetings and intermittent confer- ence calls continued through January 2000. Much useful information was shared during the Subcommit- tee meetings. For example, EPA distributed the Brownfields Resource Directory, which is comprised of fact sheets on resources from over 1 4 federal and state agencies, including local contacts. NOAA distributed a compilation of best practices for water- front development. The city and state provided insights and recommendations. Community represen- tatives illustrated their experiential knowledge and the interdisciplinary nature of the issues. The consistent Subcommittee meetings culminated with the January 26, 2000, workshop titled "Waterfront Development in New York City: Reinventing the Working Waterfront." This workshop successfully met the intended goal of highlighting case studies of community/city partnerships, illustrating the land use planning regulatory framework, and highlighting 120 ------- citizen involvement tools toward realizing sustainable waterfront development. The event was the culmination of a collaborative planning process that included community based organizations, city, state, and federal agencies. To set the stage, effective partnerships working to realize healthy waterfront development in the Bronx, Brook- lyn, and Harlem were showcased. Case studies showed that manufacturing, housing, and recreational facilities can coexist to meet the social, economic, and environmental needs of waterfront users. The case studies reminded the audience of the importance of early, ongoing, and meaningful community involve- ment. Presenters stressed the value of putting in the up-front effort to develop a shared vision and, as stated by Elizabeth Yeampierre of UPROSE (Puerto Ricans United for Sunset Park), the fundamental need for partnerships based on a parity of power, trust, and respect. The panel on visioning and planning tools provided examples of community mapping and participatory planning techniques. The panel on land use planning and the waterfront reviewed the waterfront land use planning and development processes and presented the guiding principles of the New York City Waterfront Revitalization program as a basis for discussion. Of note, one presentation introduced "green port design" principles and operations, which are informing the Sunset Park Port design and have been successfully applied elsewhere to mitigate the environmental impacts of water-dependent industry. The substantial contributions of the Subcommittee members and the resources that contributed to the event's success deserve mention. In particular, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided strong leadership and drove the logistical coordination of the Waterfront workshop. Community organizations provided leadership and staff, who carried out the most of the outreach. Resources leveraged for the forum included: The NY/NJ Ports Authority provided funding to a non-profit for meeting materials The NY/NJ Ports Authority compiled a technical resource book NOAA supported the travel of two case study speakers EPA coordinated the exhibit hall, which included a hands-on demonstration of available geographic information system tools and applications. Subcommittee members expressed interest in holding a Roundtable Discussion on Brownfields Revitalization. EPA and HUD worked with a planning subgroup and convened a Brownfields Workshop for New York City Community Organizations and Community Develop- ment Corporations on August 8, 2000. The purpose of the Roundtable was to provide brownfields basics for community development corporations and community based organizations that participated in the Council on Environmental Quality-Environmental Justice Initiative. The workshop provided a working knowledge of current New York State and New York City brownfields policies and relevant economic development programs. The goal was to proactively support informed community participation and engagement in brownfields redevelopment. The Roundtable's discussion and resources should serve to enhance the participants' abilities to assess local brownfields proposals and participate in brownfields projects in their own neighborhoods. The workshop agenda was designed to provide an interactive forum for federal, state, city, and commu- nity organization representatives to discuss lessons learned, challenges, and perspectives about brownfields redevelopment. In addition, the Roundtable served as a primer for the Brownfields 2000 conference. Project Participants EPA, HUD, NOAA (co-leads) and more than six other federal agencies New York City Environmental Justice Alliance (co- lead) West Harlem Environmental Action Coalition (co- lead) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and other State agencies NY/NJ Ports Authority Environmental Justice organizations from through- out New York City City agencies Residents Private sector representatives including developers and financial institutions 21 ------- Project Benefits The forums, designed under the corleodership of federal agency staff and community organization staff, provided opportunities for both sectors to gain greater understanding and insight into brownfields issues and tools. The Waterfront Workshop provided .information and tools for public participation in brownfields and waterfront development. The forum en- hanced stakeholder capacity to navigate the myriad of policies and programs governing waterfront land use, open space, and brownfields. The overwhelming turnout for the Waterfront Workshop addressed an information need and helped to focus the attention of prominent New York institutions on the challenges of the post- industrial waterfront. A number of workshops have been held since. Participants in the brownfields workshop expressed that they learned information applicable to their own projects and neighbor- hoods. Lessons Learned To set the stage for effective informed public involvement in brownfields, it is beneficial to bring the various city and state agencies with relevant ' jurisdiction together with community organizations to share programmatic information and discuss concerns in a neutral forum. Community development corporations face particular challenges in brownfields redevelop- ment that can be addressed through partnerships with the city, the state, and the private sector. Even without direct funding, a significant public education process can be accomplished through the combined efforts of the public and private sector. Project Contact Chelsea Albucher Brownfields Project Manager EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4291 albucher.chelsea@epa.gov Region 3: Brownfields Revitalization PECO Remediation and Redevelopment Project, Chester, Pennsylvania Project Activity The PECO property is a 90-acre waterfront site in an environmental justice community located on the outskirts of Philadelphia in Chester, Pennsylvania. Because of its potential for economic revitalization, Chester has been designated a Pennsylvania Keystone Opportunity Zone. This project is one part of a multi- year, city-wide revitalization program. EPA's remediation of past contamination on one portion of the property is proceeding while Preferred Real Estate Investment is converting the Art Deco-era, coal-fired power plant into a high-tech office building. One goal of this project is to streamline the RCRA corrective action process in order to accelerate redevelopment while implementing a remedy that protects human health and the environment. Project Participants EPA is responsible.for the cleanup of a 1 7-acre portion of the property under a 1 993 RCRA Consent Order. EPA, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (under the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act) is overseeing the investigation and remediation of the rest of the property. PECO (now part of the Exelon Corporation) recently sold most of the site to Preferred Real Estate Investments and retained the responsibility for remediation and environmental responsibility. In addition, PECO donated 7 acres to the City of Chester to create a park next to a boat ramp. Preferred Real Estate Investments is renovating the 350,000-square-foot power plant into a modern office building. Project Benefits The first phase of redevelopment is in progress. Preferred Real Estate Investments plans to spend about $50 million to renovate the power plant. Synygy, a software company, probably will be able to move its first 500 employees into the building in November 2002. The building will eventually house between 700 and 1,000 employees. The State of Pennsylvania contributed $2.5 million in job creation 122 ------- and training grants, provided tax credits to'Synygy, and loaned or granted $2.6 million to Preferred Real Estate Investments for infrastructure development, land reclamation, and fiber-optic cable installation. Future redevelopment plans in Chester will include a marina, other office buildings, and commercial development for a projected total of 3,000 new permanent jobs in the next few years. Project Contact Renee Ge/b/af RCRA Project Manager EPA Region 3 (215) 814-3421 Gelblat.Renee@epa.gov Lessons Learned This project has run very smoothly because of frequent communication among regulators, public officials, community groups, and the general public. There were multi-party information meetings before major decisions were made. Because of EPA's corrective- action activities and the PA Act 2 program investiga- tion requirements, the potential environmental site liabilities were fully characterized before the property was offered for sale. Therefore, interested parties were able to make fully'informed decisions and were confident that there would not be any unforeseen environmental issues uncovered during construction. Keeping the community fully informed has allowed them to be part of the decision-making process. lion 4: Brownfields Revitalization Environmental Justice Demonstration Pilot in Spartanburg, South Carolina Project Activity This designated.national Environmental Justice Demonstration Project aims to bring the community and different organizations together for the purpose of revitalizing disadvantaged neighborhoods in South Spartanburg, South Carolina. The revitalization objectives for this project cover seven major areas: 1) Redevelopment Design and Brownfields; 2) Remediation; 3) Public Safety, Education, and Life Skills; 4) Health; 5) Transportation; 6) Green Infra- structure; and 7) Housing. Project Participants ReGenesis, an active Community Development Corporation in the Arkwright/Forest Park area of Spartanburg, has taken the lead in establishing the necessary partnerships for revitalization. The overall project committee, which ReGenesis chairs, consists of the City of Spartanburg, the County of Spartanburg, and more than 40 other partners, including local, regional, state, and federal agencies, academia, business and industry, non-governmental organiza- tions, and elected officials. As the lead federal agency, EPA Region 4's role has been to coordinate the effort, provide assistance with the remediation of the site, conduct necessary work related to site assessment since 1 998, clean up two adjacent Superfund sites, and encourage redevelopment. Project Benefits Since its Environmental Justice Demonstration Project designation in May 2000, this project has focused on: 1) conceptualizing revitalization goals; 2) enhancing resources; 3) increasing collaboration among part- ners; and 4) remediating contaminated sites. This project's revitalization goals include the creation of housing, basic retail services, a technology center, a regional health clinic, and a job training center. To conceptualize these goals, the community has held four major redevelopment meetings, as well as many smaller meetings. To enhance resources, the project has acquired many financial grants, inc uding a: $200,000 US EPA Brownfields Assessment grant; $ 1 00,000 US EPA Superfund Redevelopment Initiative grant; part of a $1.3 million US EPA Brownfields Revolv- ing Loan Fund grant issued to the State of South Carolina; $20,000 US EPA Environmental Justice grant; $25,000 Technical Assistance Project grant awarded to ReGenesis by the City of Spartanburg; and 23 ------- $50,000 Technical Assistance Project grant awarded to ReGenesis by Vigindustries. The project also is waiting to hear whether it has been awarded the following grants: $ 125,000 Weed and Seed grant from the U.S. Department of Justice; Community Development Block grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment and the City and County of Spartanburg; and $650,000 New Start Health Center grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In building collaboration among its partners, the project committee has benefitted from new partner- ships with 1 4 local agencies, 4 state/regional agen- cies, 1 6 federal agencies, 11 businesses and indus- tries, 1 0 non-governmental organizations, 7 aca- demic institutions, and some elected officials. The remediation process has brought many different benefits to the project as well. These include: Partnering with former workers to determine the locations of contamination to assist with the environmental assessment, and discovering potentially responsible parties (PRP) for the two Superfund sites (IMC Fertilizer Site and Arkwright Dump Site). Partnering with known PRPs to develop an innova- tive approach for identifying other PRPs. Establishing an ongoing conflict resolution process to improve relations between ReGenesis and a local chemical manufacturing facility. Providing training to community members on the Superfund process. Creating a forum with 60 diverse stakeholders to discuss "responsive revitalization." Project Contacts Brian Ho/fzc/aw Environmental Justice Program EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8684 holtzclaw.brian@epa.gov Cynthia Peurifoy Office of Environmental Justice EPA Region 4 (404) 562-9649 peuriioy.cynthia@epa.gov Lessons Learned Local leaders who have the talent, willingness, and perseverance to build collaborative relationships can help bring all parties together for constructive problem solving and the development of holistic community revitalization. Providing support to these local leaders is critical, and includes provid- ing a framework around which such leaders can operate. Revitalization projects should include a process for bringing together all stakeholders to build a project around the common goal of bettering the environment, economy, and quality of life for communities. Monthly coordination meetings that include staff from various EPA programs serve a very useful role. EPA should have encouraged a conflict resolution process between the community groups and representatives from the chemical plant that operated in the redevelopment area earlier during the revitalization project. The Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice is developing a project evaluation related to this issue that should be available soon. Rosalind Brown Economic Redevelopment and Community Involvement Branch EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8633 brown.rosalind@epa.gov La Tonya Spencer Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8463 spencer.latonya@epa.gov Ralph Howard Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8829 howard.ralph@epa.gov Bill Joyner Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8795 joyner.william@epa.gov 24 ------- Region 5: Brownfields Revitalization Protecting Children's Health and Reducing Lead Exposure through Collaborative Partnerships Project Activity This project targets East St. Louis, Illinois, and other communities in St. Clair County. The county has numerous abandoned, contaminated lots that serve as play lots for the communities' youth and as illegal dumping havens. EPA's goal is to collaborate with various local, state, and federal partners to implement a comprehensive strategy to improve children's health by reducing lead poisoning. EPA's role in the project is to address uncontrolled lead releases to surface soil and to promote opportunities for redevelopment. Project Participants EPA Region 5 awarded a grant to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to conduct lead soil sampling to characterize the uncontrolled releases of lead in the soil near defunct industrial sources. The sampling locations were on the outskirts of industrial facilities and in residential yards and neighborhoods. The soil samples had elevated levels of lead in numerous areas above 400 ppm. This phase of the project was completed last year. EPA entered into an Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform further assessments on 1 3 of the industrial and residential sites identified by IDPH. Using the initial IDPH data, the Emergency Re- sponse Branch (ERB) began a series of residential cleanup activities on several high priority sites in September 2001. ERB is also plotting select data on GIS maps to assist with the evaluation of further investigation needs. These maps will help deter- mine cleanup priorities by combining blood lead levels, soil sample results, and industrial locations. St. Mary's Hospital is providing free blood level screening for children aged 0-12 years old and pregnant mothers. The hospital is working closely with the East St. Louis School District to identify children in this age group and promote the program throughout the area. Other partners include the City of East St. Louis, St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Department, Illinois EPA, HUD, and several community groups. Project Benefits The most important benefit is the improvement of children's health in East St. Louis. The elimination of contaminated soil, reduced exposure, and increased knowledge of the dangers of lead will benefit current and future generations. The removal actions will potentially ignite renewed interest in the city and remove the barriers surrounding economic develop- ment in the area. Lessons Learned Early and meaningful involvement by local organiza- tions was the most important asset to the project. The collaboration of various departments within EPA, as well as many local and state organizations, to identify sites that might need further investigations and possible cleanup actions helped ensure the success of the project. Project Contacts Dion Novak Project Manager EPA Region 5 (312) 886-4737 novak.dion@epa.gov Kevin Turner On-Scene Coordinator EPA Region 5 (618)997-0115 turner.kevin@epa.gov Linda Morgan Project Officer EPA Region 5 (312)886-4747 morgan.linda@epa.gov Noemi Emeric Gateway Team Leader EPA Region 5 (312) 886-0995 emeric.noemi@epa.gov 25 ------- Wellston, Missouri, Brownfields Redevelopment With Habitat for Humanity Project Activity The St. Louis County Economic Council, through the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the County of St. Louis (LCRA), is working in cooperation with the City of Wellston to implement a comprehen- sive redevelopment plan that calls for light industrial, commercial, and residential-redevelopment. Wellston is a low-income community with a large minority population. As part of the Wellston redevelopment process, council staff identified close to 400 aban- doned, tax delinquent, publicly-owned properties in the city. The return of these abandoned properties to productive use is integral to Wellston's economic revitalization. The role of LCRA is to facilitate the redevelopment process, in part by acquiring/clearing title to such properties and taking the necessary steps to prepare them for redevelopment in accordance with the redevelopment plan. A joint Wellston/County board authorizes LCRA to take these properties through the condemnation process and to clear title so that they are available for redevelopment. LCRA has initiated five such suits, with the properties then being transferred to developers for new housing. EPA's Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot grant and Supplemental Assistance grant have provided the resources necessary to perform environ- mental assessments on these properties. These site assessments ensure that there are no environmental conditions of concern that will impede redevelopment, or that if such conditions exist, they can be properly addressed. Project Participants EPA's Office of Community Development St. Louis County Economic Council, Land Clear- ance for Redevelopment Authority City of Wellston Habitat for Humanity-St. Louis AG Edwards Commerce Bank City-County Ecumenical Partnership Home Builders Association Herman Miller Huttig Building Products Christian Brothers College Disciples of Christ Missouri American Water Company United Church of Christ Congregations West County Churches ARCO Construction Rubicon Foundation WIL Radio Project Benefits One of the developers that LCRA has worked with in Wellston is Habitat for Humanity-St. Louis. Habitat recently completed its first phase of housing in Wellston to commemorate the St. Louis chapter's 15- year anniversary. Habitat constructed its first phase in a "blitz build" of 15 houses in 15 days (from April 28-May 12, 2001). Habitat plans to build up to 25 more houses in Wellston over the next two to three years. LCRA assisted in the acquisition, environmental assessment, and demolition of properties used by Habitat in the blitz build. Habitat's first phase included LCRA-owned properties that underwent environmental assessment under the Demonstration Pilot. Numerous personal testimonials highlighting the positive impacts of these activities .within the commu- nity are on file. Lessons Learned Partnerships that include a variety of organizations can produce very good results. Coordination with partners is an important compo- nent to the success of the program. Opportunities to link with partnerth.em.es and objectives for mutual benefit should be explored. Project Contact Susan Klein Environmental Scientist EPA Region 7 (913) 551-7786 klein.susan@epa.gov 126 ------- Region 8: Brownfields Revitalization South Westminster Brownfields Project, City of Westminster, Colorado Project Activity The project area encompasses 260 commercial, light industrial, and residential properties centrally situated in the South Westminster Revitalization Area. This was the location of the original downtown neighborhood and business district. Today, the area harbors the city's most ethnically, socially, and economically diverse neighborhood, which is characterized by significant Hispanic and Asian populations. Over time, existing businesses relocated and new ventures were estab- lished in suburban growth areas. Rundown/aban- doned, and underused buildings and properties were left behind. Given the neighborhood's age,'popula- tion, and economic migration patterns over the last 30 years, the residents and businesses have witnessed declining economic conditions and a related decline in the quality of life. Through the city's community outreach activities, a vision evolved of revitalizing this declining area into a thriving community that offers a variety of opportunities for diverse populations while preserving its historical identity. Rather than follow the trend of big box retail, residents supported the redevelopment of smaller town squares that serve as local gathering places. In a community survey, over 90% responded that the redevelopment of rundown or abandoned commercial property was an important element in revitalizing the community. One significant obstacle that blocked private development was the uncertainty of property contamination. The city applied for and received a brownfields grant from EPA and conducted environmental site assessments for many of the 260 identified properties. Project Participants Westminster's Brownfields project was jointly imple- mented by the Community Development Department and the Environmental Compliance Program Office. It built upon the city's proactive approach to address- ing ethnic population issues through bilingual and cultural programs, identification of entrepreneurial opportunities, and identification of low-income housing. It incorporated extensive public outreach to existing businesses, homeowners, and citizen interest groups. In an effort to activate the community, a strategy was developed to create an urban gardens program. The goal was to restore pride within the Hispanic and Hmong populations by providing job and development opportunities. Potentially, a "farmer's market" could evolve. The city initiated and provided support to the School Outreach Program to promote involvement from the local elementary school to pilot an urban community garden project. The city worked in partnership with the Institute for Policy Implementation at the University of Colorado/ Denver and has attracted interest from over 40 representatives from the development and investment community. A dialog was initiated with developers that attracted interest in transforming 80 acres into a unique, diverse living and working environment. A non-profit Redevelopment Corporation is in the process of being formed. This corporation will consist of a coalition of local financial institutions and lenders interested in financing site acquisition, development, and redevelopment in'South Westminster, and will initially be capitalized at several million dollars. Over 1 7 partnerships have been established with local, state, and federal agencies and the private sector. Within two years of grant implementation, Ihe city had leveraged $1 70,000 for cleanup activities and $2.25 million for redevelopment projects. The city is in the final stages of producing an educa- tional and promotional video, informational brochure, and a web site. They will facilitate communication among the involved city departments and consultants and provide information to the general public, inter- ested parties, potential investors, and developers. The city recently received a $1 million Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Pilot to join the Colorado Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Coalition. In the future, they plan to apply for Supplemental Brownfields Site Assessment funding and a Brownfields Job Training grant. Project Benefits Contaminants that may negatively impact human health and the environment on 260 properties in the targeted area were identified. Extensive community outreach placed substantial emphasis on the minority participation. The project identified opportunities, issues, and resources relative to instituting an urban/commu- nity garden network and supporting enterprises. 27 ------- The project prepared a database and created a tool to disseminate property information to prospective investors and developers. Lessons Learned Identifying and including stakeholders with expertise and resources enhanced the end results of the project. For example, when the need to communi- cate more quickly with prospective developers about the actual planning' phase arose, the city purpose- fully created the Brownfields Redevelopment web page and held intermittent meetings to achieve the goal of enticing developer and investor participa- tion. It is important to have support from the city adminis- tration because they approve and fund projects and can commit resources from other city departments. Including local community groups in the pre- planning and decision-making process helps address the needs and concerns of impacted residents and keeps the project moving forward. Project Contacts Kafh/'e Afenc/o Brownfields Coordinator EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6803 atencio.kathie@epa.gov Mary Ahlstrom Brownfields Project Manager EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6626 ahlstrom.mary@epa.gov 128 ------- Superfund In 1 993, EPA announced-reforms for its Superfund program that addressed concerns expressed by affected members of the public. These reforms fundamentally changed Superfund. Through partnerships with states, tribes, other federal agencies, local governments, communities, land owners, lenders, developers, and potentially responsible parties (PRPs) for contamination, EPA has improved the cleanup process. Now, clean- ups are being done faster without compromise to the principle that those responsible for pollution are held accountable. Several of these reforms enhance public participation and prevent minority and low-income populations from bearing the brunt of pollution. This section of the report highlights environmental justice projects being con- ducted under the Superfund program to improve communication with stakeholders and to encourage greater involvement of all communities in the Superfund process. It includes projects where EPA is working in partner- ship with local governments, communities, developers, and others to rethink the reuse value of cleaned up Office e of Emergency and Remedial Response (With Region 9) 2001 Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) Project at the Newmark Contamination Superfund Site in San Bernadino, California Project Activity In April 2001, EPA Region 9 nominated the Newmark Site for SuperJTI training, a new training initiative of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sci- ences' (NIEHS) Worker Education and Training program. SuperJTI provides residents living near or around Superfund sites with environmental health and safety training, and encourages the employment of trainees in the cleanup of their communities. In May 2001, Laborers-Associated General Contrac- tors Education and Training Fund (Laborers-AGC)in partnership with the Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire, Inc. (NHSIE)'s Youthbuild program and the Office of Community Involvement in EPA Region 9agreed to conduct lead and asbestos abatement and hazardous waste worker training. During the training, the Youthbuild program was tasked with the recruitment and pre-qualification of students interested in the training and the retention of those students selected for the training. This training, which included information on health and safety, environmental justice awareness, and construction issues, was completed in June 2001. Region 9's Community Involvement Coordinator, Jackie Lane, was instrumental in contacting the project participants; gauging their commitment to the training; and staying in contact with the partners making sure employment opportunities were identified for students when training was completed. NHSIE's Youthbuild,program is a comprehensive job training, education, and leadership initiative for low- income young people ages 1 7-24, who have not completed high school. While studying for a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED), the students learn valuable employment skills while constructing new homes for low-income citizens. Employment needs in the community were accessed early on in the project so the partnership with Youthbuild was ideal. Youthbuild hopes that this training will provide its participants with new employ- ment opportunities for remediating houses in the City of San Bernadino and its surrounding areas. Project Participants Laborers-Associated General Contractors Educa- tion and Training Fund (Laborers-AGC), a Na- tional Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' (NIEHS) EPA Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program grantee 29 ------- Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire, Inc. (NHSIE)'s Youthbuild program EPA Region 9's Office of Community Involvement Project Benefits The project recruited 22 community residents; 1 8 of these residents successfully completed the training. Many of the students returned to complete a vocational program in the construction trade. Eight of the students are presently employed in the environmental or construction field. The train-the-trainer program made prospective instructors aware of ways they can train their students to protect themselves from on-the-job injury. Community residents who completed the training now have the skills to acquire higher-paying/ entry-level environmental or construction jobs. The local workforce was trained to participate safely and actively in the cleanup of local hazard- ous waste sites and their communities. Due to the project's success, NHSIE is looking to partner with other interested organizations to fund additional training. This additional funding will help in sustaining the environmental training at NHSIE. Lessons Learned Shorter class times would have benefitted those students who have difficulties concentrating for long periods of time. It is important for training programs to assist partici- pants in looking beyond their first job to future opportunities and understanding how they can build a career, not just a job, out of the skills they learned from the training program. Project Contact Pat Carey US EPA/OERR 703-603-8772 carey.pat@epa.gov Eastern Surplus Company Superfund Site: Cleanup and Cultural Resource Protection Project Activity This project involved the cleanup of an abandoned junkyard filled with hazardous materials. One aspect of the cleanup was the mitigation of impacts to cultural resources, including Native American artifacts that were more than 9,000 years old. To protect the cultural resources at the junkyard, EPA hired profes- sional archaeologists to excavate a portion of the site to document the cultural resources, funded a cultural study of the artifacts by the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe, provided internships for several members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe to participate in the archaeo- logical investigations and studies, and agreed to develop outreach exhibits to educate the local community and the Passamaquoddy about the environmental cleanup and cultural resources at the site. Project Participants US EPA Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe (Pleasant Point and Indian Township) Maine Department of Environmental Protection Maine Office of Historic Preservation Project Benefits The project resulted in the discovery and documen- tation of an important cultural site belonging to the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe, and the develop- ment of a preservation agreement for the site. Tribal members were taught archaeological investigation and interpretive techniques. 130 ------- The project provided employment opportunities for several members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, including employment to perform the cultural study. The project increased the awareness about the significance of the cultural resources at the site and involved state agencies and the local community in understanding the environmental and cultural resource issues. EPA trained several members of the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe in groundwater and soil sampling techniques. The project resulted in collaborative efforts be- tween EPA, the state agencies, the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe, and the local residents regarding future site use and educa- tional/outreach activities. Lessons Learned Overall, the project activities have been successful. The major lesson learned was to involve the Native American community at the earliest possible time in the cleanup process to allow them to be fully involved in all phases of the cleanup. Project Contact Edward Hafhaway Superfund Remedial Program EPA Region I (677) 918-1372 hathaway.edward@epa.gov Region The 76-80 Pliny Street Superfund Site Removal Action Project Activity The Pliny Street neighborhood/located in Hartford,- CT, is predominately low income and minority. The area is typified by burned out, boarded up, and abandoned buildings. The 76-80 Pliny Street Site previously housed a metal plating facility that included four interconnected buildings on a 1.6 acre lot. In June 2000, the City of Hartford demolished the abandoned buildings on the site due to their state of neglect, structurally unsafe condition, and the fact that they were used for illegal drug activities. During the demolition, the city discov- ered elevated levels of chromium and lead through- out the site. At the request of the Connecticut Depart- ment of Environmental Protection (CT DEP), EPA conducted a Preliminary Assessment and Site Investi- gation, which revealed elevated levels of chromium and lead contamination in the soil. The elevated levels of contamination in the soil supported a Superfund remove action. EPA actions included: meetings to inform the residents about the sam- pling efforts, survey results, the extent of the contamination, and plans to conduct a removal action; covering the site with an impermeable and tear resistant polyethylene cover containing ultraviolet inhibitors; securing the site by installing an eight-foot fence on the portion of the site adjacent to Pliny Street; identifying and notifying the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) that the site posed a direct contact threat to residents and trespassers and that addi- tional interim measures were necessary to abate the contract threat; overseeing the PRPs' installation of a cap that consisted of placing geotextile fabric (non-woven polypropylene) followed by six-inches of pro- cessed gravel over the entire footprint of the former facility; and working with and assuring that the PRPs sign an Administrative Order with the CT DEP to develop and implement a remediation plan for the entire site. Project Participants The success of this project was due to the formation of a partnership with the following parties: the Mayor's Office; the City's Brownfields Coordinator; the Pliny Street Block Association; Clay Arsenal Neighborhood Revitalization Zone; CT DEP; and EPA's Brownfields, Urban Initiatives, and Removal Programs. 31 ------- Project Benefits The site has been the subject of a long campaign by the neighborhood to have the city demolish the existing building. The site borders a battered' women's shelter and is located less than 50 feet from multi-family houses and a neighborhood convenience store. The city and the neighborhood hope that once the cleanup work is completed by the PRPs under CT DEP oversight, the .property can be redeveloped to the betterment of the community. EPA's activities motivated the community to come together, influence significant change, and improve the neighborhood. With the buildings demolished and the contamination cleaned up, the community feels protected. Lessons Learned EPA's involvement influenced the PRPs to negotiate in good faith, when, for some time, the city and CT DEP had been trying to negotiate with PRPs without resolution. The success of this project was due, in part, to the effective formation of a partnership with numerous stakeholders, which included members of the neighborhood and municipal, state, and federal agencies. It is important to make sure that a central informa- tion repository is established, and that information is disseminated in a unified manner, not from several sources. Project Contact Afhanas/'os Hateopou/os Superfund Removal Program EPA Region 1/OSRR (617) 918-1284 hatzopoulos.athanasios@epa.gov Superfund Cleanups Conducted in Massena, New York, With Tribal Assistance Project Activity Massena, New York, which is located on the St. Lawrence River, is home to two Superfund sites located directly upstream from St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Lands. The Reynolds Metals Company Superfund site-was subject to a large-scale remediation project in 2001. The General Motors Superfund site, which is immediately adjacent to Tribal Lands, was subject to a large-scale removal of contaminated sediments, soils, and sludges. Repre- sentatives of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's Environment Division, through a Support Agency Assistance grant, have worked hand-in-hand with EPA's Project Man- ager and EPA's field oversight team to monitor the PRP's performance during both cleanups. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has become a major partner in the EPA's technical oversight team during the cleanup of these sites. The Tribe provided support by taking EPA inspectors on the Tribe's research and enforcement boat, so that a joint inspection of the dredging activities could be performed. The Tribe has performed sampling and analysis of suspected contaminants and coordinated the collection of air samples on Tribal lands. The Tribe also has done extensive community relations to inform local Tribal residents of excavations near Tribal Lands on the Raquette River. Project Participants St. Regis Mohawk Tribe EPA Region 2 Project Benefits Through daily contact and the development of a real partnership in the field, decisions regarding c eanup techniques and strategies can be made quickly. Day- to-day coordination and team work can set the stage for a trust-based relationship between EPA and the Tribe. Having the Tribe's technical representatives as a point of contact provides comfort to community members who want their concerns represented and voiced during the cleanup. 132 ------- While the Tribe still has concerns with some of the larger issues related to EPA's cleanup policies, agree- ing to move forward with portions of the cleanup where controversy did not exist, and having the Tribe's day-to-day support in the field, has allowed for the removal of 1 70,000 tons of PCB-contaminated soils, sediments, and sludges from areas in and around the GM and Reynolds Metals facilities. Project Contact Sharon Jaffes Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4396 jaffes.sharon@epa.gov Lessons Learned The community's working relationship with EPA has benefitted from the availability and participation of a Tribal technical representative. A technical representative from the community can help facilitate a two-way flow of information and ensure that community concerns are considered in the remedial process. The project explored potential controversies and identified areas of agreement that allowed the work to proceed. The Anacostia River Initiative Project Activity The Anacostia Watershed Alliance was formed in 1 999 under the premise that voluntary partnership to address toxic sediment contamination of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC, would offer a more efficient and appropriate alternative for ad- dressing contamination issues. EPA, working with a number of federal and private partners, helped promote cleanups at several sites along the Anacostia River that may have impacted the river's sediments. These sites include Camp Sims, Barney Circle, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Washington Gas and Light, Southeast Federal Center, and Boiling Air Force Base. Project Participants Project participants included: US EPA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) PEPCO National Park Service Washington, DC, Dept. of Health US Navy US Air Force The Academy of Natural Sciences (Patrick Center) Anacostia Watershed Society Metropolitan Council of Governments Department of Interior US General Services Administration Washington Gas & Light Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties US Army Corps of Engineers Maryland Department of the Environment Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin University of the District of Columbia Project Benefits EPA assisted in the cleanups of several sites and was able to lend its expertise to other government and private parties. The cleanups will benefit the community by improving public health, helping to restore recre- ational fishing and recreational water use, and improving water quality in the Anacostia, Potomac, and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Such a large and magnanimous undertaking demonstrates to community members that all levels of government and the private sector are deter- mined to improve a river that was once considered the most polluted in the nation. The cleanups will make development and reuse of the land more feasible. 33 ------- Lessons Learned Expertise through partnering is essential for under- taking a wide variety of tasks, including cleanup, redevelopment, outreach, and community support. Community support depends on a long-term commitment by the partners. Intelligent use of electronic media will expand the reach of the partners to inform clients, persuade backers, and acquire the tools to meet project goals (e.g., the development of a website for all parties to use and track the project activities, which is available at: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/cpr/test/ Anacostia/sta rt. htm I.) Projects Contacts Nicholas Dinardo Federal Facility RPM EPA Region 3 (215) 814-3365 dinardo.nicholas@epa.gov Bill Hudson Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 3 (215) 814-5532 hudson.william@epa.gov James Hargett Site Assessment Manager EPA Region 3 (215) 814-3305 hargett.James Chris Ball State Liaison Officer for Washington, DC (202)260-1687 Region 3 Logan Removal Site: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Project Activity EPA was brought into an ongoing situation between an African-American and Hispanic community in North Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia. In 1 986, the city began to relocate residents and demolish houses in the Logan section because many dwellings had begun to sink. In 1 999, the Army Corps of Engineers, working as a contractor for the city, found lead contamination on severe vacant lots in the neighborhood. The community, under the leadership of a local pastor, threatened to bring the city's record to light during the upcoming Republican National Convention in July 2000. Two U.S. Senators and the district's Congressman were involved in the ensuing media blitz. Ultimately, the City of Philadel- phia signed a Memorandum of Agreement with EPA and cleaned up the site. Project Participants The City of Philadelphia EPA Region 3 The Logan Community under the leadership of Pastor Newkirk US Army Corps of Engineers Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) The staffs of Senators Specter and Santorum and Congressman Brady. Project Benefits EPA, working with the city, was able to educate the public about the hazards of lead and the differ- ences between environmental cleanup and redevelopment. EPA's involvement identified specific areas of elevated lead and facilitated the development of a feasible cleanup design, which aided the city in its task of cleaning up the site. Because of a coordinated approach throughout EPA Region 3, the Region was able to lessen tensions between the city and the community. EPA improved its expertise for resolving sensitive, local issues between national and local officials. 134 ------- Lessons Learned By acting quickly, EPA can help defuse escalating conflicts between a city and a community. It is possible for EPA to serve the interests of local and national officials and community leaders, especially when competing sides want to back off an issue and look for a third party to help solve a problem. EPA and the City of Philadelphia learned that poor demolition practices (e.g., plowing over sinking structures containing lead and lead-based paints) were the likely causes of the lead found in the vacant lots. Because of its mandate to protect public health, EPA may find itself drawn into other issues of concern, such as community redevelopment, which lies outside of the scope of the Superfund pro- gram. Project Contacts Glen S: Lapsley On-Scene Coordinator EPA Region 3 (215) 814-3279 lapsley.glen@epa.gov Hal Votes Sr. Community involvement Coordinator EPA Region 3 (215) 814-5530 yates.hal@epa.gov Cindy Yu State Liaison Officer for Pennsylvania (215) 814-5557 Samantha Fairchild, Director US EPA/OECA (215) 814-2627 fairchi/d.samanfha@epa.gov Region 4 Community Involvement at Two Superfund Sites in Anniston, Alabama Project Activity During this project, EPA has ensured meaningful community involvement in the Superfund assessment, removal, and remediation processes, and the RCRA and TSCA oversight activities for two Superfund sites with significant off-site residential PCB and lead contamination in Anniston, Alabama. To do this, EPA provided the funding to operate a local community relations center on main street in Anniston, Alabama. EPA community involvement coordinators, environ- mental justice staff, technical staff, and EPA contrac- tors operate the center. Since February 2000, the center has served as a base for joint information, data management, and site access agreement activities. Project Participants The lead agencies for this project have been: EPA Region 4 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Alabama Department of Environmental Manage- ment Alabama Department of Public Health The lead community groups have been: Community Against Pollution Sweet Valley Cobbtown Environmental Justice Task Force Citizens for Environmental Justice Project Benefits The benefits of the community involvement efforts include the following: Since early 2000, EPA closely worked with commu- nity representatives and citizens in the reconnais- sance, access agreement, and sampling process phases. As part of this effort, EPA sampled 900 properties for lead and PCBs. Results of this sampling indicated that 1 28 properties were over the 400 ppm removal level of concern for lead and 1 9 properties were over the 1 0 ppm removal level of concern for PCBs. 35 ------- Five community results sessions, which were specially designed for community residents to confidentially discuss the results of the sampling effort with agency representatives, were held. The community was asked to provide feedback on the design elements for the Removal Enforcement Order, which is completed, and the Remedial Enforcement Order, which is now'in negotiations with the potentially responsible party. EPA staff hold regular public meetings to discuss the project's progress. These meetings often are attended by representatives from the community, local government, and Chamber of Commerce. EPA has contracted with Emory University's PEHSU to work closely with key stakeholders in the Anniston community to develop an Early Detection and Intervention Program on pediatric develop- mental, cognitive, and behavioral disorders. A $200,000 US EPA brownfields grant was awarded and community-based meetings on the work plan are being held. A small ATSDR grant to conduct a community- based Health Survey and two EPA Environmental Justice grants were awarded. Lessons Learned A Community Relations Center is an important tool for providing the community access to EPA and other,officials conducting work related to the two Superfund sites. Important communications are shared through coordination calls with EPA staff from various programs, and regular weekly and monthly meetings with agency representatives. . The multitude of toxic tort lawsuits against respon- sible parties have posed challenges to EPA in obtaining access agreements, conducting removal actions, and gaining cooperation from some residents. Project Contacts Angela Leach Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8561 leach.angela@epa.gov Brian Holtzdaw Environmental Justice Technical Analyst EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8684 holtzclaw.brian@epa.gov Steve Spurlin On-Scene Coordinator, Removal Program EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8743 spur/in.sfeve@epa.gov Katrina Jones On-Scene Coordinator, Removal Program EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8811 lones.katrina@epa.gov Region 4 Escambia Treating Company Superfund Activity Update Project Activity In June 1 995, the Escambia Treating Company Superfund Site in Pensacola, Florida, was selected as EPA's National Relocation Evaluation Pilot site. The pilot was initiated in 1 997 to test the extent of the Agency's authority under CERCLA and to evaluate the range of EPA's decision making and implementation processes when conducting permanent relocations under Superfund. The Pensacola community hoped that EPA would consider broad social, economic impact and environmental justice issues, as wel as |36 ------- traditional quantitative risk assessment data in its relocation decision. As of September 2001, EPA's relocation activities surrounding the Escambia Superfund site were nearly complete. The federal government acquired 1 53 of the 1 70 properties targeted for acquisition. Over 1 30 single family households were relocated to compa- rable homes in the Pensacola area and elsewhere. All of the households living in the Rosewood Terrace and Oak Park subdivisions were relocated. Of the original 200 families living in the Escambia Arms Apartments, 193 families have been relocated to date. Project Participants US EPA US Army Corps of Engineers Pensacola Housing Department US Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment Escambia County Government City of Pensacola, Florida Escambia County Brownfields Taskforce. Project Benefits Over 1 30 single family households were relocated to comparable homes in the Pensacola area and elsewhere. These relocations provided these families with a safer place to live, and the peace of mind that a Superfund is no longer located in their backyards. Lessons Learned EPA should have addressed community stakehold- ers' issues and concerns about deciding the fair market value of their homes and how replacement properties would be selected earlier in the reloca- tion process. EPA should have provided more educational outreach to ensure that community residents better understood the relocation program and how property is acquired. Project Contacts Ken Lucas Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8953 lucas.ken@epa.gov Eddie Wright Environmental Justice Coordinator EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8669 wright.eddie@epa.gov Region 6 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^i^^^^^^B Supplemental Environmental Project for Emergency Preparedness and Response and Community Right-to-Know Project Activity As part of a settlement with Borden Chemical in Geismar, Louisiana, which violated the Comprehen- sive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 1 03 and did not properly report releases of hazardous substances to the Nationa Response Center, Borden agreed to fund a Supplemental Environmental Project that would benefit the community. Project Benefits Borden set aside approximately $325,000 for the local emergency planning commission (LEPC) and local officials to establish and maintain a chemical emergency response team within the community. The money was used to purchase necessary equipment for the team. This team will respond throughout the community to mitigate the effects of a release of a hazardous substance or oil product. 37 ------- Borden set aside approximately $75,000 for a community information center where citizens in the area may receive information about the facilities and the chemicals used in the Geismar area. This information assists citizens and local officials in making decisions about their community. Lessons Learned In many situations, EPA can work with a facility that has a violation and use that violation to improve the preparedness or response capabilities within a community, thus making that community a safer place to live. Project Contacts Sfeve Mason CEPP Coordinator EPA Region 6 (214) 665-2292 mason.steve@epq.gov Terry Sykes Enforcement Attorney EPA Region 6 (214) 665-2158 sykes.terry@epa.gov Reqion 6 Kennedy Heights Project Activity Kennedy Heights is a 130-acre predominantly African-American residential subdivision in Houston, Texas. From 1 921-1 928, the property contained three large earthen storage pits, two of which were used for crude oil storage. In 1 968, the pits were closed and homes were built over them. The residents of Kennedy Heights believe they are suffering adverse health effects from residual hydrocarbons left in place when the storage pits were closed. In an effort to coordinate their activist efforts, many of the concerned residents formed a group called the Kennedy Heights Civic Association (KHCA). The-KHCAand other residents asked EPA to investigate the subdivision and determine if the residual hydrocarbons left in the soils pose a health risk to the residents. EPA met with the attorney representing the KHCA and agreed to allow the association to comment on the work plan for the site assessment prior to its finalization. EPA also held two public meetings and conducted door-to-door solicitations in an attempt to engage the residents and obtain as much information as possible prior to the sampling event. Project Participants EPA included both members of the KHCA and other Kennedy Heights residents in pre-investigation plan- ning. State and local agencies were also involved with the site, including the Railroad Commission of Texas and the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department. Project Benefits Following the investigation, EPA held public meetings to disseminate the findings and circulated a draft report to the residents for comments prior to finaliza- tion. The investigation found that the residual hydro- carbons in the soils underneath Kennedy Heights do not present a serious health threat to the residents. There was a mixed reaction from the residents following the release of the study. The majority of KHCA members disagreed with the findings and still believe that an inadequate investigation was con- ducted. However, a number of residents were relieved to hear that the site does not pose an immi- nent health threat to the community. The interaction between the residents and the government agencies throughout the investigation has spurred further action on the part of the City of Houston, which is currently moving forward with plans to install new water distribution lines throughout the subdivision. 138 ------- Lessons Learned Government agencies must be careful when they are working through intermediaries representing certain entities, such as citizen groups. In this case, the attorney representing KHCA worked closely with EPA during much of the planning for the investigation. Shortly before site activities were to begin, EPA was told the attorney no longer represented KHCA's interests. Site activities were then delayed as EPA worked with new KHCA representatives to design a work plan for the investigation. It also became clear that the position taken by KHCA did not necessarily represent the views of the entire community of Kennedy Heights. Therefore it was critical that EPA solicited the views of the residents not affiliated with the KHCA. Project Contact William Rhotenberry Superfund Site Assessment Manager EPA Region 6 (214) 665-8372 rhotenberry.william@epa.gov Region 4 Overcoming Community Mistrust and Opposition During the Implementation of a Removal Action at the Agriculture Street Landfill Superfund Site Project Activity The community located near the Agriculture Street Landfill Superfund Site in New Orleans, Louisiana, is predominantly minority. Prior to and during the implementation of the removal action, EPA met with community leaders who expressed the desire to see the implementation of specific improvements on and adjacent to the site. Although EPA had a rapport with community leaders, the site was extremely controver- sial and drew national attention. It was clear from the residents that the Agency was not a welcomed partner in the neighborhood. This was reinforced when the community protested and picketed EPA's mobilization to the site, pushed for congressional involvement, and secured a temporary restraining order to stop the cleanup. Even though the case was dismissed, it further polarized the community. Local residents believed that none of the property owners would participate in the response action. The challenge was to develop a cohesive internal operations team and to work consistently and regu- larly with the community and Congressional represen- tatives to ensure that they had a stake and input in the outcome. Team members looked for ways to deal most effectively with various parts of the community that had different interests and needs. For example, members of a large senior community were unhappy with long meetings that lasted until late at night. In response, the team began holding separate meetings in the morning at the senior citizens' facility. When monthly meetings were not sufficient, the team established a community outreach office onsite. Other effective actions taken by the site team to be responsive to and cooperate with the community included: The use of a facilitator who was known and respected by the community. Providing training that was focused on the specific needs of different groups (i.e., National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences Minority Worker Training Program). Conducting regular meetings with community representatives. Meeting with property owners and the Town Home Association concerning the landscaping of the properties. Bringing in guest speakers from other Superfund sites to talk about their experiences. Approaching other government agencies for a collective federal response to community proposals. 39 ------- Establishing a toll-free number and monthly bulletins. Developing daily summaries and e-mailing the summaries to leaders and Congressional aides. Developing and maintaining a webpage for the site. Implementing a 24-hour community response number. In addition to the above measures, a community response module was integrated into the site's GIS system to ensure that problems, concerns, and actions were taken based on community input. The module tracked all complaints from the community and the actions taken to resolve the complaint. EPA con- ducted weekly meetings with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its contractor to ensure that all commu- nity concerns were investigated and that a response was provided to the complainant. These efforts ensured that all potential information was available to the public and that their problems would be heard and addressed. Project Participants EPA U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, IT Corporation, Concerned Citizens of the Agriculture Street Landfill, Desire Florida Area Community Council, Inc., and the City of New Orleans Project Benefits The community members who were the most satisfied were those who understood the team's role, authority, and limitations. At the conclusion of the project, which took approximately two years to implement, EPA had implemented the removal action over 99% of the site. This was a tremendous success because it was initially thought by the public that none of the property owners would participate. Although the community did not necessarily agree with the removal action, the rela- tionship that developed was based on mutual respect and an understanding that the Agency would at least treat the individuals with understanding and respect. Lessons Learned Create a Cohesive Site Team: Getting EPA staff with a variety of styles, skills, and experiences involved in working with the community can be a tremendous advantage for building relationships with community members. Keeping the same staff throughout the project creates understanding and trust. Make sure the team members communicate and coordinate with each other and are helping to support one another. Develop Strong Relationships With Key Community Members: Have stable points of contact with commu- nity members who you are comfortable calling with questions and can be trusted to convey the feelings, of the larger group. Tailor Your Tools To Your Audience: Recognize that different people in the community will have different levels of understanding and interest. Develop individualized relationships and communication techniques to connect with different groups. Project Contact Ursula Lennox Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 6 (214) 665-6743 lennox.ursula@epa.gov Region 7 Residential Mercury Cleanups Project Activity Since 1 998, EPA Region 7 has had to conduct thirteen mercury cleanups at residential properties. Four of these cleanups occurred in environmental justice communities. Some of the mercury spills resulted from broken thermometers and releases from carburetor calibration kits. Often, these mercury spills result in mercury spreading from the original spill location into vehicles and other homes via shoes, clothing, and the transfer of personal property and cleaning supplies. Region 7's response to these mercury spills in homes consisted of gathering visible mercury with a special vacuum, and heating and ventilating homes to remove mercury vapors. In some instances, walls, carpeting, and floors of houses had to be removed, personal possessions had to be discarded because 140' T ------- they were contaminated with mercury that could not be removed, and residents have had to be evacuated and provided with temporary housing during the cleanup. Much of the discarded contaminated material had to be sent to a special landfill or recycler at a substantial cost to EPA. Project Participants EPA, in conjunction with the state health agencies and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, conducted outreach to the community. This outreach included developing and distributing fact sheets, posting information to the Internet, and holding public meetings to inform the general public of the health hazards associated with mercury. EPA also provided information about who to contact in the event that a mercury spill occurred. Project Benefits The immediate reporting and resulting cleanup of mercury spills prevents exposure and its associated health hazards. Conducting outreach informs the public about the health hazards associated with mercury poisoning and educates the public about preventing mercury contamination in homes, schools, and churches. Lessons Learned An increased awareness and understanding of the risks associated with mercury contamination will further reduce the mercury poisoning incidents in disadvan- taged communities. Project Contact Kenneth Buchholz, Branch Chief Enforcement/Fund-Lead Removal Branch EPA Region 7 (913) 551-7473 buchholz.kenneth@epa.gov Dynamite Removal Near the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe's Village in Sisseton, South Dakota Project Activity In 1 938, 1 46 cases of dynamite and 40 cases of blasting caps were buried by workers in a field near the town of Agency Village after a federal public works construction activity ended. The site is located near the homes of approximately 500 members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe. Since the 1 950s, this field has been cultivated, farmed, and harvested by the tribe, even though they were aware of dangers the buried dynamite posed. In July 1 999, EPA's Emergency Response Program tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to investigate the site. Mr. Thompson, a tribal elder who was a member of the crew that buried the material, was interviewed, and geophysical surveys were conducted. The Bureau of Indian Affairs interviewed witnesses and requested assistance from a U.S. Air Force Explosives Detection K-9 Unit in an attempt to locate the exact location of the buried dynamite. Explosives and blasting caps were found buried in three areas at the site. A number of removal options were discussed; in- place detonation was selected as the safest and most appropriate method of disposal. Only once before had such a detonation attempt been made, which resulted in the death of eight people. This attempt was undertaken by South African bomb experts who thought that the construction of a bunker for the bomb crew would protect the detona- tion crew, but they did not foresee the threat that migrating nitroglycerin underground would pose. In light of this previous disaster, the parties had a very daunting and technically challenging task, even by Superfund standards. Through a methodical and meticulous investigation, it was determined that any effort to dig up and move the dynamite would be too dangerous. Instead, it was decided that the entire town of more than 500 residents would be evacuated before any in-place detonations could take place. The team worked with the Tribe on an evacuation plan that would address numerous unusual circum- stances faced by a low-income, minority population and answer the following questions: How do you find 41 ------- lodging for a week for over 500 people in a rural area of South Dakota? How do you protect homes from damage and looting, especially homes that are not protected by insurance? The team worked through a myriad of administrative problems to ensure that the Tribe would be safe and not financially burdened by the cleanup. EPA oversaw the dynamite elimination project and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe took an active role throughout the process in communicating with their 500 tribal members. The Red Cross provided the evacuation shelter, food, and standby ambulance service for the work force at all times. Project Participants EPA Region 8 Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe US Army Corps of Engineers Bureau of Indian Affairs US Air Force Explosives Detection K-9 Unit The Red Cross Project Benefits The benefits'of this project include: The Sisseton-Walpeton Sioux Tribe now has a much safer living environment, which includes safer crop cultivation and harvesting. A significant mental burden was lifted since the unstable "bombs" were eliminated. Teamwork and expertise were developed among the various state and federal agencies and the tribal members. The team's sincere concern about the residents reversed the community's perception of "big government." A template was created to facilitate the evacuation, protection, housing, and feeding of an entire town, while simultaneously making preparations to eliminate an extremely hazardous situation. The willingness of the federal team to rely on local tribal knowledge greatly enhanced the success of the project. The project created employment opportunities for about 20 tribal members, which helped saved EPA money. Lessons Learned For such a complicated project, it is important to coordinate the efforts and expertise of different governmental and non-governmental entities. Food preferences and temporary housing accom- modations need to be flexible so that nobody is forced to live where they do not want to. Hiring local tribal maintenance persons helped EPA gain the Tribe's support for the project. Projects Contacts Sfeve Hawthorn EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6061 hawthorn.sfeve@epa.gov Due Nguyen EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6509 nguyen.duc@epa.gov Region 9 Newmark Superfund Site, Muscoy Operable Unit Project Activity The purpose of this project is to implement an interim groundwater cleanup system to stop the flow of contaminated groundwater from reaching clean drinking water wells south of Baseline Street in San Bernardino, California. The source of the contamina- tion is still under investigation. The operable units (OUs) are Newmark (eastside) and Muscoy (westside). The cleanup has been implemented at the Newmark OU and includes five operating extraction wells between residential homes that pump and treat water contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). When EPA Region 9 approached the community near the Muscoy OU for the construction of the Muscoy treatment system, the.community became enraged. This predominantly African-American and Latino 42 ------- D community did not want any wells located between their residential homes or in the westside area. They told EPA Region 9 that what is good for the.eastside is not necessarily good for the westside. The community expressed their concern that the city uses this area as a dumping ground for all unwanted projects, and that the wells will reduce property values. They then asked EPA Region 9 to move one well location to a nearby vacant property that they selected. EPA Region 9 and the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department partnered to develop a compre- hensive community strategy to ensure meaningful public involvement within this disenfranchised community. This strategy included: Development of a list of grassroots neighborhood leaders, local neighborhood organizations, local officials, congressional officials, and media contacts. Briefings with many organizations. Posting of bulletin boards at each well site location. Participation in a roundtable talk show on public television that explained the project. Development of a short video to be viewed at local meetings. An engineering modeling study using the community's alternative well site location. A real estate study of the eastside (Newmark OU) project area to see if that project had affected the value of homes in the area. After implementing the study, EPA Region 9 held a community meeting to report its findings on the engineer- ing modeling study and explain why the well had to be located where it was. During this meeting, EPA Region 9 explained that there was no change in property values on the eastside due to the project that was implemented there, the clean water produced from the project will benefit the city in the long run, and to protect human health, the drinking water wells needed to be protected too. EPA Region 9 informed the community that it was willing to design facade houses or build playgrounds at the well locations so the structures would blend into the neighborhood. After the community meeting, the Region personally called each person who showed an interest in the project and told them that it was moving ahead with the project prior to making an announcement in the local papers. EPA also conducted open house meetings at each of the five well locations to get neighbors' input on how they wanted the site to look. The Region then nominated the site for a Superfund Jobs Training Initiative (SuperJTI) grant, which it won. Three HAZMAT classes were conducted at a community construction company. To date, EPA Region 9 has demolished two house structures, drilled iwo extraction wells, and completed Phase 1 of a five-phase pipeline. The Region also assigned a city engineer to be the liaison between the community and the contractors to make sure construction runs smoothly. Construction is expected to be com- pleted in FY03. Project Participants EPA Region 9 San Bernardino Municipal Water Department San Bernardino Mayor's Office The local community living near the Muscoy OU Project Benefits The project is moving forward as designed, and the treatment system will stop the contamination from approaching clean drinking water wells. The project will produce affordable clean water for the city. EPA helped bridge a gap and improve the relationship between the Mayor's Office and the Westside community. Community residents will see how their ideas helped the project, once it is complete. NIEHS, through the SuperJTI grant, provided training to community residents that would enable them to gain entry-level employment as environ- mental construction workers. EPA Region 9 listened to the community and developed a contractor workshop to encourage community contractors to bid for project work. It also developed a list of local professionals interested in bidding on work when professional services are needed. EPA Region 9 developed an effective communica- tion process to keep the community updated on the project. The well site locations, which were either vacant or housed abandoned homes, were purchased by the city, who plans to redevelop them with struc- tures that will blend into the neighborhood. Having the city be a good neighbor is a benefit to the community. 43 ------- Lessons Learned Never assume that one neighborhood will receive you in the same way as another nearby neighbor- hood. Educate the community about the project. Learn about the community's needs and incorpo- rate them into the cleanup to create ownership and acceptance of a project. A little more effort up front makes for a better- project in the end. Project Contacts Kim Hoang, Ph.D. Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3147 hoang.kim@epa.gov Jackie Lane Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3236 lane'.jackie@epa.gov Region 9 Purity Oil Sales Superfund Site Project Activity The Purity Oil Sales Superfund site in Malaga, . California, is located approximately one-half mile south of Fresno. This seven-acre site was used to process waste oils, which were then dumped in sludge pits on the site. Under the Fresno County General Plan, the Purity Oil Sales site is located in a zone designated as heavy industrial. However, the area is a mixed-use area that houses the Tall Trees trailer park. The trailer park residents are active and retired farm workers with very low incomes. About half of the families living there migrated to the United States from Oaxaca, a Native American area of Mexico. These residents speak primarily Mixtecan and some Spanish, making communication in English difficult. During April 1 998, EPA staff contacted residents living 'in the trailer park about starting construction on the cleanup remedy for the Purity Oil Superfund site. EPA notified residents of upcoming field work and dis- cussed the probability of temporary relocation while construction occurred. EPA used Mixtecan and Spanish translators and conducted a number of community meetings between April and June 1998. Later that year, residents raised concerns about odors and seepage from the site and requested that they be permanently relocated. In addition, residents wanted to be relocated together, as the Mixtecan community is very tightly knit. Though EPA's authority to do permanent relocations is limited, EPA agreed to facilitate conversations between the County of Fresno and the trailer park residents regarding permanent relocation and to evaluate permanent relocation in the Superfund process. A task force was convened by County Supervisor Juan Arambula during the fall of 1 998 to discuss perma- nent relocation of the residents. This task force struggled to find a way to combine all the available resources. But with perseverance and patience, the group created, developed, and implemented an extremely creative and innovative relocation solution that resulted in the Mixtecan community being relo- cated as a group to new housing in the Fresno area. Other options made available to residents of the trailer park were to be relocated to HUD housing or compensated for the loss of their trailer. The commit- tee went above and beyond the standard ways of doing business within their individual programs and found a common sense solution. Funding for the relocation was attained from private and public sources and pooled to meet the needs of the entire community. Project Participants The project partners included: EPA Region 9's Purity Oil Superfund Team US Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal and state elected officials, including staff from the offices of Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Governor Gray Davis, Congressman Calvin Dooley, and Congressman George Radonovich 44 ------- Fresno County officials, including Supervisor Juan Arambula and county staff Potentially Responsible Parties, which were repre- sented by Chevron Non-profit organizations, including California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) and National Farm Workers Service Center Lessons Learned ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ffHf^^^^^^^^^mumm^^^^^^^^^^^^Hm^mm The success of this project was based on early and constant community participation and good collaboration between all the parties involved. EPA alone cannot always achieve what is best for the community, the environment, and public health. By partnering with other agencies and groups who can help, the Agency was able to develop and implement a creative, effective solution. The more minds at the table, the more creative solutions the team can come up with. Without continued pressure from the community and its advocates, permanent relocation of the trailer park would not have been achieved. Project Benefits An entire environmental justice community of immigrant farm workers was relocated. The health of trailer park residents was protected. The Purity Oil Sales site is being cleaned up. Project Contacts Rose/none Caraway Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3158 caraway.rosemarie@epa.gov Angeles Herrera Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3242 herrera.angeles@epa.gov Region 9 Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mine Project, Water Data Outreach Effort Project Activity There are more than 1,1 50 abandoned uranium mine sites on the Navajo Nation, which are remnants of widespread mining and milling of uranium ore for Cold War defense purposes. These sites have created heavy metals contamination in soil and water, raising health and environmental concerns for the Navajo Nation. In the summer of 2001, a team of federal and tribal representatives traveled to 30 different Navajo chapters to provide information about abandoned uranium mines and their potential impact on water quality. Over a three month period, the team reached 1,028 individuals, most of whom lived near, or had family living near, abandoned uranium mine sites. Outreach activities were conducted in both English and Navajo. The primary objective of the outreach team was to relay information from an EPA water sampling event where non-regulated water sources, including livestock wells and stockponds, were tested to determine if they were impacted by mining activity. The outreach consisted of discussing the water data and methods to reduce exposure to contaminated water sources. In addition, the team provided general information about abandoned uranium mine sites, including discussions about physical hazards and miner com- pensation claims. Navajo communities generally were very interested in the presentations and many participated in one-on- one discussions with outreach team members. It was clearthat residents, particularly in mine-impacted communities, were in great need of information about these mine sites. In particular, people were surprised to learn that local unregulated water sources may have been impacted by mining operations. 45 ------- Project Participants - EPA Region 9's Superfund Division Staff Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency Dine College Project Benefits This project is an excellent example of how collabora- tive partnerships between the Navajo Nation and EPA can benefit a project. EPA Region 9 facilitated this effort, but most of the credit belongs to the Tribe and non-governmenta organizations such as Dine ~ College and the Abandoned Mine Lands Reclama- tion Project, which provided the essential expertise and manpower to plan and implement the-project. The Navajo Nation specifically benefitted from this project by being provided with critical information about water quality and how to reduce exposure to contamination and being able to build a strong partnership with EPA and Dine College. Lessons Learned By conducting outreach during ongoing local events, such as health fairs and food distribution events, EPA can reach more residents. Maps that conveyed data results through both location and photographs were much more useful to Navajo residents than a location-based map alone. Conducting outreach in the Navajo language was necessary to reach many residents. A collaborative approach using the expertise of several different groups was necessary to create an effective, culturally sensitive outreach program. Project Contacts Wenona Wilson Community Involvement Specialist EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3239 wilson.wenona@epa.gov Andrew Bain Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3167 bain.andrew@epa.gov Stanley Edison, Project Manager NNEPA (928) 871-6861 pasi_swa@hotmail.com 46 ------- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Many environmental justice communities are located in areas with operating hazardous waste facilities that are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). RCRA's primary goals, are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner. This section of the report highlights EPA's environmental justice activities related to RCRA in the areas of correc- tive action, brownfields, and training. The RCRA corrective action projects include projects being addressed by the RCRA Corrective Action Program, which allows RCRA facilities to address the investigation and cleanup of hazardous releases themselves. The RCRA brownfields projects include projects that address RCRA facilities that are not in full use, where there is redevelopment potential of the site, and where reuse or redevelopment of the site is slowed due to concerns about actual or potential contamination, liability, and RCRA requirements. The RCRA training projects include training for Native Americans to develop or improve solid waste management practices on their reservations. Development of Waste Transfer Station Guidance Documents Project Activity Increasing reliance on the use of remotely located municipal solid waste disposal facilities has led to an increase in the construction of waste transfer stations. If not properly sited, designed, and operated, munici- pal solid waste disposal facilities can have significant impacts on their surrounding communities. In response to concerns that these impacts most often affect poor or minority communities, EPA has undertaken a multi- faceted effort to address this issue. Project Participants Guidance for this project was received from a special workgroup established by the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) and a focus group of state, local, tribal, and environmental representa- tives convened by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). Project Benefits As a result of this effort, the following tools were developed: A Citizen's Guide to Waste Transfer Stations (EPA 530-K-01 -003), which helps the affected public understand the role that waste transfer stations play in their community, the potential benefits and impacts that might be expected, and the steps they can take to ensure that their own concerns are understood and addressed. A Decision Maker's Manual to Waste Transfer Stations (EPA 530-D-01-001), which provides specific guidance for waste management officials on siting, designing, and operating waste transfer stations, including how to address the specific challenges encountered in densely popu- lated, urban areas and small, rural communities. Training for waste transfer station designers and operators, which was developed by modify- ing SWANA's waste transfer station training course to incorporate issues of environmental justice, and to put a greater emphasis on reducing impacts on adjacent communities. 47 ------- Lessons Learned Ordinary citizens tend to fear and distrust any environ- mental project if they do not understand it and the role they can play. By providing straightforward information they can understand and a means for their concerns and questions to be heard, they can provide constructive input that will help improve the project and address their needs. Project Contact Sfeven Levy Environmental Engineer US EPA/OSWER/OSW (703) 308-7267 levy.steve@epa.gov CBS Corp./Viacom Site in Bridgeport, Connecticut Project Activity The former Westinghouse Electric Corporation Bryant Electric site in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has been transferred to the City of Bridgeport by its current owner, CBS Corp./Viacom. The property, which housed an electrical wiring manufacturing facility that operated from 1 888 to 1 998, has contaminated soil and groundwater. Through a joint effort between the City of Bridgeport and EPA, this site is being cleaned up for future redevelopment under Bridgeport's "West End Redevelopment Project." The project is aimed at revitalizing economically depressed sections of the city. To ensure the cleanup is environmentally safe for planned use, the requirements of various state and federal environmental programsincluding the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) Property Transfer Act program, the Brownfields program, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action (RCRA CA) programmust be achieved. However, the require- ments of these programs contain criteria that differ in both breadth and scope, presenting issues and obstacles that may inhibit redevelopment of the site. Considering this issue, the site provides an example of how EPA can work cooperatively with non-delegated state programs, such as the CT DEP Property Transfer program, to achieve the goals not only of the EPA RCRA CA program, but the goals of non-delegated state program as well. The City of Bridgeport has identified a local manu- facturer with interest in redeveloping the site into a light manufacturing facility. This manufacturer has contracted with a construction management firm, outside counsel, and an architectural firm to evaluate the legal and financial issues associated with the property's redevelopment. The manufacturer is proposing to build a manufacturing plant that would be greater than 1 80,000 square feet and would be located on 7.6 acres. The city has provided the company with a draft Land Disposition Agreement that defines the rights and obligations of the seller (the city) and the buyer. EPA Project Goals: Provide timely technical and regulatory assistance to CBS-Corp./Viacom, CT DEP, and the City of Bridgeport concerning the RCRA CA program requirements that must be met to reach a Final Remedy Decision under the RCRA CA program. Identify substantive differences between the requirements of the CT Property Transfer Act and EPA RCRA CAthat have the potential to impede the progress of either program by focusing on issues that may delay the remedy selection process or the property transfer to the City of Bridgeport. Achieve the RCRA CA goals of "current human exposure under control" and "migration of contaminated groundwater under control." This project identified the importance of enhanced stakeholder involvement and assembling a stake- holder team to assist in problem solving. The City of Bridgeport has a significant minority community comprised of African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians. During the stakeholder team meetings, obstacles were identified that impede the progress of CT DEP and EPA program requirements, or delay a remedy selection and the transfer of the property to the City of Bridgeport. From these meetings, EPA worked with the City of Bridgeport to develop a fact sheet to inform the local community of the state and federal site requirements, and the status of the ongoing investiga- tion. In addition, a schedule was developed for |48 ------- completion of the "RCRA Facility Investigation" and "Corrective Measures Study" phases of the RCRA CA/ Property Transfer. Project Participants Bridgeport Office of Planning and Economic Development CBS Corp./Viacom. CT Department of Economic Development CT Department of Environmental Protection EPA Region 1 Project Benefits CT DEP and EPA have been working together to ensure that the site is investigated and remediated in compliance with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Remediation Standards (CT DEP RSRs) and applicable RCRA CA requirements. This project demonstrates the need for empowering states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to develop economic redevelopment and sustainable reuse plans. In addition, the project demonstrates how EPA can work cooperatively with a non-delegated state program (in this case, the CT DEP Property Transfer) in transferring property, to achieve its goals and those of the EPA RCRA CA program. Culmination of the joint stakeholders effort allowed for the achievement of RCRA CA Environmental Indicators and future sustainable reuse of the site. The success achieved at CBS Corp./Viacom site can help other communities in modeling future innovations for cleanup and redevelopment at RCRA properties. It demonstrates innovative approaches that better integrate reuse considerations into the cleanup process, as well as expedite the cleanup activities of properties subject to RCRA CA. Lessons Learned This site successfully demonstrated that EPA can work cooperatively to achieve the goals of a non-del- egated state program, CT DEP Property Transfer, and RCRA CA. By directing special efforts toward remov- ing regulatory barriers without sacrificing protective- ness, the project has built an enduring capacity at the sfate and local levels for encouraging cleanup and redevelopment, within a potential environmental justice area, by bringing together the various stake- holders in order to protect the environment and public health. Project Contacts Raymond Frigon CTDEP (860) 424-3797 Edward Lavernoich City of Bridgeport, CT (203) 576-3975 Robert O'/Vleara RCRA CA Program EPA Region 1, OSRR (617) 918-1360 omeara.roberi@epa.gov Community Involvement in Setting RCRA Program Priorities Project Activity On November 20, 1 999, Region 2 and the Depart- ment of Justice hosted an enforcement workshop titled "Enforcing Environmental Law in New York City/' About 90 citizens of New York City attended. The workshop was held in fulfillment of a commitment made by the Region at the March 6, 1 999, White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)'s forum on environmental justice in New York City. In addition, the Region expressed its commitment to environmental justice in New York City through many compliance evaluation inspections, which were conducted in FY99 and FYOO. On September 14, 2000, EPA Region 2 hosted a public meeting with representatives of environmental justice and community groups to solicit their sugges- tions for the Region's enforcement program priorities for the five boroughs of New York City. This effort, also part of a larger, multi-media effort, was not limited to the RCRA program. Where appropriate, the Region's intention was to incorporate public comments received during this meeting, along with any written 49 ------- comments received before or after the meeting, into its program priorities beginning in FY01. This forum, designed to give the community the role they had requested in setting enforcement priorities, was the first of its kind in Region 2 and possibly the first such meeting in the nation. Prior to the CEQ initiative, the RCRA program completed a very successful commu- nity-based environmental protection program in the South Bronx. Project Participants EPA Region 2's Division of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance EPA Region 2's Division of Environmental Planning and Protection EPA Region 2's Environmental Justice Coordinators New York State Department of Environmental Protection Local elected officials New York City Mayor's Office of Environmental Coordination Various local community groups, including: We Stay/Nos Quedamos; North Brooklyn Asthma Action Alliance; Healthy Schools Network, Inc.; Lower Washington Heights Neighborhood Asso- ciation; New York City Environmental Justice Alliance; Consumers Union; and CB #6 Local citizens Project Benefits Listed below are some of the benefits of this project: Members of various environmental justice and community groups and other members of the public were able to meet and get to know indi- viduals at EPA Region 2 who could assist them in meeting their goals. Interested citizens of New York City gained empow- erment through their involvement in setting EPA's program priorities and through the involvement of the programs in their communities. They gained a knowledge of the various agencies involved and a more detailed knowledge of what the issues are. This helped them to begin to articulate their concerns more effectively and to address them to the appropriate agency. There was an obvious EPA presence in New York City, especially in communities that are potential environmental justice areas. Lessons Learned The Region was successful in providing useful infor- mation to the public and in advocating the concerns raised by the public with other federal, state, and local agencies. The Region documented an evenly distributed enforcement presence, which included inspections by the state that affirmed a "level playing field" with respect to environmental justice concerns. The people who attended the public meetings listened, were comfortable in voicing their concerns, and identified some areas that needed a higher level of inspection and enforcement (though not necessarily by EPA) and areas that might improve the quality of life in potential environmental justice areas throughout New York .City. This success was due to an increased awareness of environmental justice issues and more attentive oversight of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. An en- hanced familiarity by the public with the RCRA program and individual staff members also played a role, as well as the Region's willingness to involve the community in the process of setting its enforcement priorities. On the other hand, opportunities for improvement were also apparent. The Region did not limit expecta- tions of individual citizens and citizen groups by making clear at the outset what EPA can and cannot do (e.g.,,EPA cannot shutdown waste transfer stations without having compelling reasons to do so and EPA cannot make asthma go away). Since it was difficult to communicate the limits of EPA's authority and influence, some of the New York citizens who attended the public meetings used the meetings as an opportu- nity to vent their frustrations and dissatisfaction with the response of various governmental entities to their situation. Many of these citizens had a problem accepting that EPA faces regulatory constraints or limited authority (and, in some cases, no authority) over some of the adverse situations that affect their communities. They seemed convinced that such limitations could be overcome through creative approaches on the part of EPA. Although EPA can, perhaps, put greater effort into collaborating with other federal, state, and local agencies in developing creative approaches to protecting the environment in New York City and ensuring enforcement of the environmental laws, especially in potential environ- mental justice areas, challenges in maintaining credibility will likely continue. H50 ------- EPA Region 2 had a clear enforcement presence in the city. About 150 RCRA compliance evaluation inspections were conducted in potential environ- mental justice areas. Forty-five percent of the facilities were no longer operating, 50% of them were in compliance with the relevant regulations, and 5% of them were the subject of informal enforcement actions. EPA Region 2 gained a better understanding of the effectiveness of its compliance monitoring of hazardous waste handlers in potential environmental justice areas. Although more facilities were inspected in potential environmental justice areas than in the city as a whole, the hazardous waste facilities in potential environmental justice areas were found to have compliance records that were the same or better than those for the city as a whole. This indicates that inspection targeting was not skewed away from potential environmental justice areas. Though not exclusively related to enforcement concerns, oral and written comments were pro- vided to the Region that were useful in setting enforcement priorities and in countering, to the extent possible, public perceptions of the Agency. As a result of the September 2000 meeting, the following waste-related inspection targets were identified (but none of them were hazardous waste facilities that could be included in the FY 2001 RCRA targets): waste transfer stations, underground storage tanks in District 27 of Queens and the Lower West Side, and the Ferry Point landfill in the Bronx where it was claimed that cancer rates are higher in the vicinity of the landfill. Joint EPA/OSHA inspections of waste transfer stations were suggested. Region 2 benefitted from learning that some citizens have the impression that EPA is more concerned with protecting industry from the public than it is from protecting the public from industry and that EPA is not living up to its mandate. In addition, some citizens said that better communication with EPA is needed. For example, some project participants believed that EPA should notify them of proposed settlements before they are finalized, even though the decision to settle is the Department of Justice's. Some citizens said that the New York City Police Department should be more involved in the enforcement of environmental regulations. By knowing that these perceptions exist, EPA is in a position to address them. Project Contacts George Pavlou, Division Director Division of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4000 pavlou.george@epa.gov George Meyer, Branch Chief Division of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4144 meyer.george@epa.gov Improving Solid Waste Management on Tribal Lands Project Activity This project used grant money from EPA's RCRA program to provide training for the Indian Nations of Region 2 to initiate or improve solid waste management practices. Project Participants The project was conceived and developed by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) to provide easy access and inexpensive training on the latest technical information in solid waste management to all Indian nations within EPA Region 2. Project Benefits The SRMT polled all federally recognized Indian nations in EPA Region 2 to determine which topics were of greatest interest to them and then developed specialized workshops to address these topics. Topics selected included composting, management and prevention of tire piles and open dumps, waste transfer stations, regulation writing and program development, and resources. The workshops featured presentations by national tribal experts. Through these workshops, the SRMT was able to share technical information in an atmosphere of trust. Because only local travel was involved, the workshops had maxi- mum participation. As a result of the workshops, 51 ------- several Indian nations are working to improve their solid waste management practices. A solid waste management handbook is expected to be the final deliverable for this project. Lessons Learned Having the material developed and delivered by a trusted Indian nation was an important element in encouraging participation. Preliminary polling for relevant topics and the local setting of the workshops made the project a Project Contact Lorraine Graves RCRA Program Project Officer EPA Region 2 (212) 637-4099 graves.lorraine@epa.gov success. Region, 5 Environmental Justice Analysis in Northwest Indiana Project Activity From July 1 998 to February 1 999, the Waste Man- agement Branch (WMB) of EPA Region 5's Waste, Pesticides, and Toxics Division developed an environ- mental justice study to support a permit decision for the Rhodia, Inc., hazardous waste combustion facility located in Hammond, Indiana. Since WMB had no experience in this area, WMB studied EPA and other federal guidance and examples of ongoing environ- mental justice projects in other Regions. The WMB then held a briefing for Division management to discuss possible options for an environmental justice study for the Rhodia, Inc., site. Based on management comments and recommenda- tions, a second briefing was held to explain the methods of the proposed study and the expected report format. After obtaining management approval, the WMB formed a workgroup of five Regional staff members who conducted the technical work on the study. Dr. Mario Mangino of WMB was the major author for the final report, 'Analysis of Population Demographics and TRI Air Emissions to Address Environmental Justice Concerns for a RCRA Permit at Rhodia, Inc. (Hammond, IN)."This report was delivered to Division managers in the Region. Project Participants Waste Management Branch of EPA Region 5's Waste, Pesticides, and Toxics Division Workgroup of five Regional staff members Project Benefits The report provides an analysis of population demo- graphics and Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) air emissions in Northwest Indiana, and compares these factors for Northwest Indiana with the rest of the state. It contains information that was used to formulate additional permit conditions for the Rhodia, Inc., combustion facility. This report was EPA Region 5's first formal Environmental Justice Report to accompany a regulatory decision. It was added to the facility's administrative file and became a public document. Lessons Learned When developing Agency guidance, ensure that the approach is straightforward and agreeable to management, and can employ readily available data. When conducting an environmental justice analy- sis, address citizen concerns. For example, the analysis conducted for the Rhodia, Inc., did not include a complete cumulative risk assessment for all facilities operating in the vicinity of Rhodia, which was a concern for some of the citizens living near the facility. To address this concern, site- specific risk assessments for stack emissions and accidental releases were performed to address citizen concerns about the safe operation of this facility. 152 ------- Project Contact Dr. Mario Mangino Waste, Pesticides and Toxics Division EPA Region 5 (312) 886-2589 mangino.mario@epa.gov RCRA Corrective Action Success in South Omaha Project Activity EPA Region 7's RCRA Corrective Action Program has been addressing the environmental concerns of residents living near the VOPAK facility in South Omaha, Nebraska. South Omaha is a low-to- moderate income area with a significant number of Hispanic residents. Environmental justice principles were applied throughout the project to ensure mean- ingful public input. The VOPAK facility is made up of two former RCRA- regulated facilities: the Van Waters and Rogers facility and the Univar facility. Results from an EPA investiga- tion show no evidence of contaminant releases on the Van Waters and Rogers part of the property. However, contaminant releases of chlorinated solvents, such as trichloroethylene, to soils and groundwater have occurred on the Univar property and groundwater contamination has migrated to Spring Lake Park, which is located about 1.5 miles from the site. The South Omaha residents belong to severe neighborhood organizations, many of which are subgroups of the South Omaha Neighborhood Association (SONA). Residents have worried that truck spills and general plant operations over the years have left them vulnerable to hazardous material exposures. Project Participants EPA Region 7 Members of the South Omaha Neighborhood Association Project Benefits EPA Region 7's RCRA program has maintained an ongoing relationship with SONA since 1 997. The Region has provided information on EPA's investiga- tive and remedial processes, along with periodic updates on our progress and findings. It has sampled the soils of several nearby residences and invited some of the SONA officers to watch the installation of monitoring wells on the facility property. The Region also has established a specific EPA contact for SONA. In fiscal year 2001, a series of groundwater monitor- ing wells to monitor contamination between the facility and Spring Lake Park were installed. No contamina- tion was detected at the park, and EPA believes that the contaminant plume is attenuating naturally. Region 7 soon will be proposing a final remedy for this site and accepting input from the community on the proposed remedial alternatives. Lessons Learned Communicating with surrounding communities early and often helps to allay fears and allows for RCRA cleanup results in a more expeditious manner. Working cooperatively with SONA allowed EPA to achieve its cleanup goals faster and more effi- ciently. Project Contact Bill Lowe, Geologist Air, RCRA, and Toxics Division EPA Region 7 (913) 551-7547 lowe.bill@epa.gov 53 ------- FY 2001 Hamilton Sundstrand Corrective Action in Denver, Colorado Project Activity EPA Region 8 is overseeing environmental investigation and cleanup activities at the Hamilton Sundstrand facility, which is located in Denver, Colorado, in a neighborhood that is comprised of Anglo, Hispanic, and Asian residents, some of whom do not speak English well or at all. The facility stores and handles oil and chlorinated solvents. Chlorinated solvents and other chemicals were found to have contaminated the soils and groundwater at the site. It was also found that contaminated groundwater had migrated beyond the facility boundary into the neighborhood. EPA Region 8 and the facility were concerned that the migra- tion of the contaminated groundwater may pose a potential threat to indoor residential air. To address this issue, indoor air from the homes east of the facility were sampled. Project Participants EPA Region 8 RCRA staff EPA Region 8 toxicologist EPA Region 8 Community.Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 8 Environmental Justice Staff Hamilton Sundstrand technical staff, manag- ers, and their communications and technical consultants Project Benefits To communicate successfully with neighbors, to engage them in activities affecting their homes, and to proceed with environmental investiga- tions and remediation, the project team made sure that residents were assured a safe indoor area through effective communication tools. These included:" Spanish written materials Translators for residents who did not speak English well or at all. These translators were especially helpful in explaining indoor air sam- pling to the non-English speaking homeowners and obtaining their permission to sample. During the interactions, the translators were able to answer health-related questions, which were a principal concern of many residents. Bilingual staff who were made available during the four informational open houses that were held. Bilingual neighbors who were willing to provide translation support. In one instance, after learning that some neighbors were not attending an open house because they spoke predominantly Spanish, EPA asked the neighbor if she would mind serving as a translator. She agreed, went home, and brought the Spanish-speaking residents back to the open house. As a result of the Hamilton Sundstrand and EPA efforts, over 70 homes had their indoor air sampled, and almost half had ventilation systems installed. Lessons Learned Although this project is still active, success has been achieved due in large part to the positive attitude of Hamilton Sundstrand and the low profile of EPA. At no time have the homeowners felt that their property values were at risk. This was accomplished through four open houses. These open houses were designed so residents could speak directly with an EPA represen- tative. This approach, as compared to a public meeting, downplayed negative publicity, which, in turn, could upset the residents and homeowners. Project Contacts Tom Aa/fo RCRA Project Manager EPA Region 8 (303J 312-6949 aa/fo.fhomas@epa.gov Diane Sane/// Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 8 (303) 312-7822 sanelli.diane@epa.gov 54 ------- Making Siting Decisions For a Corrective Action Management Unit at the BP-Amoco Refinery Site in Casper, Wyoming Project Activity An area adjacent to the Midwest Heights neighbor- hood in Casper, Wyoming, was the location for oil refining operations from 1 91 3 to 1 991. As part of facility closure under a RCRA consent decree, the current refinery owner, BP-Amoco, proposed to locate a corrective action management unit (CAMU) within 1,000 feet of Midwest Heights, a low-income resi- dential area. The CAMU would serve as a landfill for waste derived from the facility cleanup. These wastes would include hazardous substances and construction debris. The State of Wyoming requested consultation with EPA Region 8's Environmental Justice Program. The Environmental Justice Program provided a number of consultation and guidance activities, including demographic and environmental justice analyses, consultation with the state and Amoco directly regarding environmental justice and the connection to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, guidance on community involvement, participation in public meetings, and provision of an environmental justice workshop for the community group involved with the cleanup effort at the former refinery location. Project Participants The State of Wyoming participated via the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. The Environ- mental Justice Program provided a number of consultation and guidance activities. The RCRA Program provided insights and guidance to the Environmental Justice Program and the state. BP Amoco sought information to respond appropriately to the environmental justice concerns. Project Benefits Asa result of the environmental justice consultation activities and community feedback, BP Amoco chose another ocation for the CAMU that fit well with the overall goals for corrective action at the site. Lessons Learned When interested parties work in a collaborative fashion and industry-is responsive to community concerns, positive results can be achieved. Project Contacts Felix Flechas Environmental Engineer EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6014 flechas.felix@epa.gov Elisabeth Evans Environmental Justice Program EPA Region 8 (303) 312-6053 evans.elisabeth@epa.gov Reqion Alaska Native Health Board Solid Waste Demonstration Project Project Activity Many Alaskan Native Villages are suffering with large solid waste problems that they cannot address with their current capabilities. In many cases, this is be- cause of the Cold War. During the 1 950s, the Depart- ment of Defense (DoD) constructed the "DEW Line," which was a series of radar installations along the "top of the world" to provide the United States with "Distant Early Warning" of missiles coming from Russia across the Polar seas. Airports were built near many small, remote villages to transport men and material for these radar installation projects. Signifi- cant quantities of wastes that were generated from these radar installation projectsincluding shipping materials, excess lubricants, paints and solvents, and worn-out equipmentwere often dumped next to these airports, which were often located adjacent to Alaskan Native Villages. EPA Region 1 0 has been supporting efforts to deal with these solid waste problems by issuing grants up to $220,000 over the last five years to the Alaska Native Health Board (ANHB). The ANHB in turn 55 ------- ents of solid waste pass-through grant funds. This represents nearly one-half of Alaska's 227 tribes. The planning/selection committee for the Alaska Tribal Environmental Conference, also funded by this project, includes the Alaska State Department of Environmental Quality, EPA, tribes and tribal consor- tia, and RuralCap.. makes smaller grants of $8,000 - $ 15,000 to 12-15 different villages each year for public education, design, planning, and training fora variety of projects related to these solid waste problems. EPA Region 1 0 has also helped establish recycling and other waste-red action programs, promoted household hazardous waste round-ups, trained dump operators and- planned dump closures. Project Benefits The ANHB Program has awarded more than 100 small grants since 1966 and funded the annual Alaska Tribal Environmental Conference. The benefits to the Alaska tribal community are many. They have received training in all facets of integrated solid waste management and have had an opportunity to apply what they have learned in small, grassroots efforts to reduce, recycle, plan, educate, and reach community members. The effect has been that solid waste and the understanding of solid waste manage- ment in Alaska has reached a very high profile, despite the vast distances in Alaska. Project Participants One-hundred Alaska tribal communities have been directly involved in this project as recipi- Region 1 0 Hansville Landfill and the Pt. Gamble S'Klallam Tribe Lessons Learned Providing one large grant to an umbrella organi- zation, which then provides subgrants to smaller entities, is an efficient way of distributing resources to small organizations. The Native villages and organizations who re- ceived these grants showed great creativity and resourcefulness and accomplished important work. Given the resource constraints on EPA for travel in Alaska, providing small grants to local entities is an efficient use of resources. Project Contact Grover Parfee Solid Waste Program EPA Region 10 (206) 553-6697 parfee.grover@epa.gov Project Activity This project was part of an ongoing effort to help residents of the Pt. Gamble S'Klallam tribal commu- nity better understand the risks to their health and their reservation environment from a groundwater plume that is migrating downslope from the closed Kitsap County Landfill. In 1 989, tribal habitat biologists first discovered elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and vinyl chloride in an upper level, perched aquifer on the reservation and identified vinyl chloride in an on-reservation wetland and in Middle Creek, which is a fish-bearing stream near the reservation. Until the mid 1 990s, EPA Region 1 0 and the Bureau of Indian Affairs provided grant funding and some technical assistance to the Tribe to address the contamination from the landfill. Between 1 996 and 1 999, Washington State Department of Ecology (WA DOE) identified the landfill as a Model Toxics Cleanup Act site. WA DOE worked with Parametrix, Inc., and Kitsap County to complete a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI-FS) of the Kitsap County Landfill. Beginning in 1 999, EPA Region 1 0 provided technical assistance for reviewing the RI-FS and helped the tribe participate in an arsenic me- tabolism study, which was conducted EPA's Office of Research and Development. Project Participants The project partners included: Pt. Gamble S'Klallam Tribal community EPA Region 1 O's Office of Water, Office of Waste and Chemicals Management, and Office of Environmental Assessment |56 ------- EPA's Office of Research and Development Bureau of Indian Affairs' Natural Resources Dam- age Assessment Officer Epidemiologists from the Indian Health Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Trust Assessment Officers Washington State Department of Ecology Parametrix, Inc. Kitsap County Project Benefits This project will benefit the tribe in the following ways: The tribe will learn to what extent each individual is being impacted by arsenic from all sources. The tribe will be able to find out if shellfish from the popular tribal shellfish bed at the mouth of Middle Creek is contaminated with arsenic. The tribe, through use of their consultant, will be able to readdress some sampling issues they felt were not adequately accomplished by the 1 999 RI-FS. The tribe will receive assistance in developing a risk assessment that is appropriate to their geographic location and their culture. Project Contact Al La Tourette EPA Region 10 Solid Waste Program (206) 553-8202 LaTouretfe.AI@epa.gov 57 ------- n |58 ------- Environmental Justice Awareness Trainin As part of EPA's strong commitment to implement effective practices for addressing the needs of environmental justice communities, EPA gives training to its staff regarding environmental justice issues. This training focuses on environmental justice policies and learned and practiced tools for managing environmenta justice issues effectively. It also addresses the need for staff to be aware and sensitive to environmental justice issues that may arise in the communities in which they work. This section highlights the projects that involve environmental justice training of EPA employees. iteqion v3 Environmental Justice Training in Region 4 (FY1999) Project Activity A strong commitment to implement effective practices for addressing the needs of environmental justice communities led EPA Region 4's Waste Management Division (WD) to schedule an intensive week of training and skills development. WD conducted a week-long series of environmental justice seminars specifically designed for its employees. WD employ- ees attended classes focused on environmental justice policy and learned and practiced tools for managing environmental justice issues effectively. Additionally, a special seminar for the senior managers of WD will be offered. Effectiveness of the training was greatly enhanced because internal WD employees and an external community review team with expertise in environmental justice issues assisted in the design of the training. Project Participants The project was sponsored by: EPA Region 4's Waste Management Division- Customer Service Branch EPA Region 4's Community Involvement Coordina- tors EPA Region 4's cross-divisional Environmental Justice Team The Marasco Newton Group, Ltd. (an EPA contrac- tor) Other EPA Region 4 components provided input to the training outcomes. Project Benefits The goal of this training was to provide students with information on how to respond to environmental justice claims and situations. To do this, the training included information on: how the environmental justice movement has evolved overtime; a review of the authorities for implementing environmental justice programs and activities; the ability to recognize indicators of environmental injustice; the tools, skills, and suggestions for responding to or addressing environmental justice claims and situations; and opportunities to practice the above mentioned skills and tools. Lessons Learned Due to the success of this training, EPA Region 4 can use the training's framework to develop ongoing training opportunities at the state and local levels. All regional components need to provide resources to similar training efforts in order to meet long- term training goals. 59-[ ------- Project Contacts Eddie Wright Environmental Justice Coordinator EPA Reg/on 4 (404) 562-8669 wright.eddie@epa.gov Rosalind Brown Chief, ER&CIB, EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8633 brown.rosalind@epa.gov ' Margaret Crowe Training Coordinator EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8687 crowe.margaret@epa.gov Region 4 Mississippi Statewide Environmental Justice Summit Project Activity The "Mississippi Statewide Environmental Justice Summit: Environmental Planning, Community Health, and Just Solutions" was a multi-stakeholder partner- ship and conference on environmental justice compli- ance and health issues. The Summit was the first of its kind for the State of Mississippi and one of a few ever held in the region. The Summit and its sponsors focused on promoting the following issues: public/private partnerships in Mississippi that foster community empowerment; environmental justice compliance and environmental health education; and linkages between brownfields revitalization and economic progress, coalition building, and network- ing. Funding for the summit was made available by the following groups: Mississippi contributed $25,000 and EPA Region 4 matched-this amount through a grant to Jackson State University; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) -awarded a $5,000 grant to Jackson State University; the Ford Foundation contributed $50,000; and the National Library of Medicine contributed $10,000. EPA Region 4 expects to receive a final report and evaluation of the summit from Jackson State University and plans to have several follow-up meetings with all of the sponsors. Project Participants Sponsors, supporters, and participants of the Summit included: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Jackson State University EPA Region 4 Jesus People Against Pollution (JPAP) National Library of Medicine Mississippi Manufactures' Association Mississippi Municipal League Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. Mississippi State Department of Health ATSDR Ford Foundation Project Benefits The Summit was held August 2-4, 2001, in Jackson Mississippi. The event began with a brownfields seminar and workshop and included breakout sessions on the environment, health concerns from Mississippi community groups and private industry working in the state, and how we can have both a healthy and sustainable community. There was a tour of the environmental justice community in Columbia, Mississippi, which has a brownfields pilot near a Superfund site. This tour focused on how economic redevelopment and environmental justice groups can work together to create jobs, address health concerns, educate the public, rebuild abandoned and contami- 60 ------- noted properties into reusable and productive areas, and form collaborative partnerships. The state explained how its different departments work together and which MDEQ, City, and County departments are responsible for certain issues. Project Contacts Eddie Wrighf EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8668 wrighf.eddie@epa.gov Cynthia Peurifoy EPA Region 4 (404) 562-9649 peurifoy.cynfhia@epa.gov Rosalind Brown EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8633 brown.rosalind@epa.gov Kelly Ri/ey and Chuck Barlow Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Lessons Learned At the Summit, EPA Region 4 learned that MDEQ's Director met with all of the parties who had concerns. In response to these concerns, he appointed an Environmental Justice Coordinator, established a toll- free number to receive complaints, developed a tracking system for these complaints, and recom- mended that environmental justice become part of Mississippi's annual pollution prevention meeting and that another environmental justice summit be held in 2003. Thus far, the feedback from the participants has been very positive. EPA Region 4 also learned that contacting community stakeholders and involving them earlier in the Summit planning process could have resulted in more open dialogue, and that representatives from more federal agencies and city and county departments should have been presented at the Summit. Region 6 All-Indian Pueblo Council's Pueblo Office of Environmental Protection Dip Vat Bioremediation Pilot Project Project Activity Under EPA Region 6's initiative to enhance the role of states and tribes in Superfund, EPA Region 6 spon- sored a pilot project to train staff members of the Zuni Environmental Protection Office and the Acoma Environmental Office to bioremediate sheep dipping vats that are contaminated with the pesticide tox- aphene. The objective of this pilot project was to enable the Pueblos to effectively bioremediate other sheep dipping vats belonging to the Pueblos. Project Participants The project partners included: Pueblo of Zuni Pueblo Office of Environmental Protection US EPA Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry Pueblo of Acoma Project Benefits The project trained four staff members from the Zuni Environmental Protection Office and two staff members from the Acoma Environmental Office in the bioremediation process. These trained staff members will use their training to clean up addi- tional sheep dipping vats within their own Pueblos. Members of the community, including school children, were educated in environmental concerns atone bioremediation project site. A guidance document on this process has been drafted. 61 ------- Lessons Learned Projects move smoothly when all involved parties communicate and plan well in advance. Project Contact LoDonna Walker Site Assessment Manager EPA Region 6 (214) 665-6666 walker.ladonna@epa.gov Environmental Justice Awareness Training in Region 7 Project Activity The objective of this training was to develop an awareness and sensitivity to potential environmental justice issues among staff working at CERCIA sites. To meet this objective, personnel were trained in environ- mental justice awareness and taught the appropriate response to the emergence of environmental justice issues at their project sites. Each project manager used Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to evalu- ate whether their project sites would need a more in- depth environmental justice evaluation due to low income and/or minority populations. Region 7 used a 25% minority population for its threshold in the evaluation process. Project Participants The project participants included: The Regional Environmental Justice Program Manager Data Integration and Support Operation (GIS) personnel Superfund Division Environmental Justice coordina- tor CERCLA project managers in the division Project Benefits Every CERCLA site in Region 7 was analyzed for its potential to have environmental justice issues. Every site manager conducted an environmental justice screening on all of their sites. Every CERCLA site had an environmental justice GIS map produced for its files. The sites that met the Region's threshold require- ments were flagged and brought to the attention of the Environmental Justice Program Manager and the Region's External Affairs Office (for outreach and analysis of emerging environmental justice issues and environmental justice-focused public interest groups). Those sites that proved to have potential orexisting environmental justice issues were identified and appropriate resources were committed to them. Lessons Learned Environmental justice awareness can be built into a CERCLA project without consuming a significant portion of the project manager's time and re- sources. A preemptive, proactive approach to environmen- tal justice ultimately saves time and resources while diminishing frustration for the Agency and those communities that become involved with the program. Environmental justice briefings were conducted at the State Directors Meeting, which increased understanding of the program at the state level. Project Contact Tom Lorenz Remedial Project Manager EPA Region 7 (913) 551-7292 lorenz.tom@epa.gov 62 ------- OSWER is committed to improving communications with communities and establishing trust of EPA in those communities. To do this, OSWER works in partnership with community representatives, states, cities, and federal agencies to develop strategies for promoting public participation and community involvement in its decision-making processes. Part of this process includes the development of communication and outreach tools that are effective in reaching the environmental justice communities that EPA serves. This section highlights EPA's environmental justice projects that focused on the development of partnerships with communities and other entities to develop effective communication and outreach materials. Collaborative Model of the People of Color and Disenfranchised Communities (POC/DC) Environmental Health Network and Federal Agencies Project Activity On November 22, 1 998, the POC/DC Networka national network of community-based groups im- pacted by Department of Energy (DOE) and Depart- ment of Defense (DoD) federal facility environmental health-related issuesand Agency representatives met in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to follow-up on a 1 997 summit meeting, which was held in Waveland, Mississippi. At this meeting, participants focused on responses to the summit's "Implementation Plan," which included 1 7 community-based recommenda- tions. After the meeting, EPA Region 4 staff coordi- nated face-to-face meetings in December 1 999, August 2000, and December,2000 to coincide with the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) and federal Interagency-related meetings. Federal agencies shared invitational travel expenses. Many regular conference calls with representatives from the POC/DC Network and the federal agencies also were held to maintain communications and discuss progress being made on action items. Project Participants The POC/DC Network is a national network of community-based groups impacted by DOE and DoD federal-facility, environmental-health-related issues. Members of its steering committee represent grassroots groups from all over the country. The federal agencies who participated in this effort include representatives from EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, EPA Region 4, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), DOE, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Radiation Studies Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Project Benefits The benefits of this collaborative effort between the POC/DC Network and the federal agencies included: helping impacted communities, such as those in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, directly address environ- mental justice issues; increasing the understanding of federal agency missions, management and staff, resources, and services; building partnerships between DOE and local communities with DOE facilities; holding independent face-to-face meetings with upper management of DOE's environmental programs, DoD, the Pentagon, and EPA Head- quarters to help effectuate a higher level of agency commitment to environmental justice and build relationships for responses; and providing a platform at EPA NEJAC meetings and other forums for POC/DC Network's voice to be heard by federal agencies to better address environmental issues. This helped lead to the development of the NEJAC Federal Facilities Working Group. 63 ------- Lessons Learned Over the past three years, the POC/DC Network learned how to work collaboratively with federal agency representatives. The Network also learned the importance of developing a strong relationship with higher-level Agency managers who can make decisions that affect impacted communities. It is believed that face-to-face opportunities to educate upper-level managers about the POC/DC Network and the patterns of environmental justice that commu- nities face helped raise the level of awareness and commitment to the issue among these agencies, and helped to better ensure follow-through on commit- ments made by these agencies. In addition, the Network and Agency partnership enabled communi- ties affected by federal facility issues to present a stronger, more unified voice on the need to address and resolve environmental health impacts. Region 4 Teachers Environmental Institutes Project Contact Brian Ho/fzc/aw Environmental Justice Technical Analyst EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8684 holfzclaw.brian@epa.gov Project Activity Teachers Environmental Institutes (TEls) were held during three consecutive summers (1 999-2001) using grants awarded by EPA Region 4's Waste Division. The participating colleges developed and hosted ten TEls for middle and high school teachers who live in the Southeast near waste management sites that are addressed by the Resource Conservation and Recov- ery Act (RCRA), or by the Comprehensive Environmen- tal Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The TEls were designed to inform, promote, facilitate, and expand middle and high school teachers' knowledge of environmental issues and research. The primary goals of these grants were to promote the exchange of information and ideas and to develop strategies for integrating environmental perspectives into curricula, research, and community outreach. The TEls offered middle and high school teachers an opportunity to learn about recent environmental research data collected by EPA and state environmen- tal agencies. The program gave teachers access to the data and provided practical suggestions for involving students and community members in using this new information for pollution prevention and environmental protection. The colleges distributed an EPA-designed CD-ROM containing the new environ- mental research data and layered it with other databases [e.g., Geographic Information System (GiS) visual representations of the environmental data]. As a result, the teachers received actual site-specific environmental data for their respective states. Another goal of the TEls was to promote environmen- tal education by providing training and instructional material to a group of middle and high school teachers. The programs were designed to help teachers incorporate environmental themes and " concepts into their curricula and classroom activities. The TEls offered stimulating sessions that included hands-on activities on a wide range of topics, includ- ing GIS, Toxic Release Inventory, Superfund site tours in Anniston, Alabama, Risk Assessments, Public Participation, Pollution Prevention, and environmenta justice. Specific attention was focused on waste management issues. The colleges also assisted in editing the teachers' newly developed lesson plans. I 64 ------- Project Participants More than 500 teachers, selected from communities that lived near hazardous waste sites, participated in the project. Participating colleges included: Spelman College 2000, 2001 North Carolina State University 1 999, 2000, 2001 Mississippi Delta 2001 Medical University of South Carolina 1 999 Florida A&M University 1 999 Project Benefits In all, more than 500 participating teachers were instructed in environmental education and given access to EPA's environmental research data. These teachers collectively reach more than 37,000 students every year. Each teacher developed lesson plans that incorpo- rated the environmental research data specific to areas where the teacher/students lived, as well as educational material presented during the workshops. The participating teachers have applied for more than 25 grants, and have received more than 14 small grants to do environmental education in their class- rooms. Over a dozen teachers have made presentations at educational conferences in this country and overseas that are based on lesson plans they generated during the TEI workshops. North Carolina State University (NCSU) has published a booklet containing teachers' lesson plans on hazardous waste activities. NCSU conducted a telephone survey of more than 1 50 teachers that attended their environmental workshop and found: 34% are now or expect to be enrolled in a gradu- ate program. Two-thirds of these teachers will use the environmental research data provided in the workshops for their graduate studies; 98% of the teachers used the lesson plans they developed in the workshops; and 61 % of the teachers had shared hazardous waste/ GIS information and/or ideas with other teachers more than twenty times. Lessons Learned The TEI workshops successfully familiarized teachers with recent hazardous waste research data using GIS as a visual representation of the environmental data. The teachers were subsequently able to share this information with students and other teachers. The teachers were asked about the greatest barrier to using the hazardous waste and GIS data in their classrooms. Approximately 25% indicated that a lack of computers in the classroom was the greatest barrier. Lack of time and problems with hardware were identified by 1 8% of the teachers. Other barriers that were mentioned include the lack of training in environmental education and lack of experience in environmental education since college. While lack of computers in the classroom was identi- fied as a barrier by 25% of the teachers, NCSU has noted that, after going through the environmental workshop, the teachers learned how to use computers in environmental education. More than half of those teachers acquired computers for their classrooms within 1 8 months. Project Contact Margaret Crowe Training, Contracts and Grant Project Officer Waste Division, Economic Redevelopment and Community Involvement Branch EPA Region 4 (404) 562-8687 65 ------- Region Metro East Lead Collaborative Partnership Project Activity The Metro.East Lead Collaborative Partnership includes local community groups,, local hospitals, and federal, state, and local agencies in East St. Louis and St. Clair County, a predominantly minority and low-income community. The Partnership was awarded a National Federal Interagency Environmental Justice Demonstra- tion Project in July 2000 to implement a comprehensive strategy to improve children's health by reducing lead exposure and lead poisoning in East St. Louis. This project addresses both lead-based paint hazards and uncontrolled lead releases to surface soil due to past industrial practices. Included in this project are removal actions that will promote opportunities for redevelop- ment in neighborhoods and will help eliminate illegal dumping. Many federal, state, and local partners were involved in this project at various levels. EPA provided several grants and contracts to this project. Some of these grants were used to conduct lead soil sampling in East St. Louis near many defunct, bankrupt industrial areas and implement community education and outreach efforts. EPA also awarded a grant to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to implement a study to characterize the uncontrolled releases of lead in surface soils. This study included mapping of historical blood lead data and evaluating blood lead trends in the area. Another EPA grant was awarded to the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council for conducting lead soil sampling and landscaping efforts in approximately 30 residential yards. The Council plans to continue its implementation of rigorous awareness and prevention efforts in both St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois. An EPA grant was awarded to Neighbors United for Progress, a local community based organization, to conduct lead-based paint assessments to approximately 25 homes and to assist with community outreach and education. An EPA Brownfields Job Training grant was awarded to St. Louis Community College to provide environmental technician training to over 50 residents in St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment (HUD) provided a $2.8 million dollar grant to St. Clair County through its Lead Hazard Control Pro- gram. This grant funded St. Clair County to conduct blood lead screenings and assessments, manage cases, conduct prevention and awareness information workshops, and implement lead hazard control and landscaping activities in the county. While this grant ends in 2002, the County plans to apply for additional funding and will continue to provide technical assis- tance and lessons learned from other grantees with similar challenges. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources and Conversation Service, through its Urban Resources Partnership, awarded a grant to a local organization to implement landscaping and bioremediation projects in the community. Another bioremediation project is being implemented by Southwestern Illinois RC&D on an old industrial site in East St. Louis. The Neighborhood Technical Assistance Center provided landscaping and technical assistance to residents and local not-for- profits The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assisted with project coordination and technical assistance, and conducted site assessments on abandoned lots. They also provided oversight during the majority of the brownfields assessment efforts in the Enterprise Community. The East St. Louis Community Development Block Grant Office provided $10,000 in grants to improve homes identified through the partnership. The office also will continue to provide prevention, education, and awareness assistance. St. Mary's Hospital Corporate Health Center screened over 3,000 children for blood lead and will continue to provide case management, conduct prevention awareness training, and provide educa- tional assistance. School District 1 89 works with St. Mary's Hospital to ensure access to the students and to provide outreach and education to parents. The District is planning to build nine new schools by 2003 in East St. Louis. Southern Illinois University and the Edwardsville Institute for Urban Research is conducting a research study to determine the cause and effect of lead poisoning with particular emphasis on educa- tional achievement, diagnosis of learning disabilities, and other physical and mental illness. 166 ------- To date, the project has met the following milestones: The Project leveraged more than $6 million in funding support from several Federal agencies, including HUD, EPA, USAGE, and USDA. ($3 million from US EPA for removal work, $2.8 from HUD for the Lead Hazard Control grant). USAGE awarded a $250,000 Planning Assistance grant to East St. Louis to assist with brownfields efforts. The city matched the amount with another $250,000. USAGE awarded a $1 00,000 Planning Assistance grant to the Village of Brooklyn to assist with planning efforts. The Michael Jones Foundation matched the amount with another $ 1 00,000. EPA Region 5 awarded a $50,000 grant to St. Glair County to address lead contaminated abandoned buildings in Washington Park. EPA Region 5 awarded a $1 5,000 grant to St. Glair County's Lead Hazard Control for a Com- prehensive Lead Outreach and Education Cam- paign EPA Region 5 awarded two grants totaling $60,000 to St. Mary's Hospital to conduct lead and mercury outreach. More than 3,000 infants and children under the age of 1 3 were screened for blood lead. Projects to sample and map areas with lead in soi and to make lead-blood data correlations were initiated. Educational materials, such as a video, newsletter, collaborative brochure, and children's coloring book, were developed. A comprehensive communications strategy for outreach and education was developed. More than 30 contractors and St. Clair County staff members were trained as lead risk assessors and lead supervisors. An EPA Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) grant was awarded to the Sauget Superfund site, which is located outside of East St. Louis. More than 20 East St. Louis residents will receive training underthis grant. East St. Louis (ESL) was selected as a Brownfields Showcase Community in conjunction with City of St. Louis, Missouri. Three specific project areas within ESL, the Central Business District, Riverfront and downtown, were identified as part of this project. Project Participants US EPA US Army Corps of Engineers US Housing and Urban Development US Dept. of Agriculture's Natural Resources and Conversation Service Southwestern Illinois RC&D Illinois Department of Public Health East-West Gateway Coordinating Council Neighborhood Technical Assistance Center St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Depart- ment East St. Louis Community Development Block Grant Office East Side & St. Clair County Health Departments Neighbors United for Progress St. Mary's Hospital Corporate Health Center School District 1 89 St. Louis Community College Southern Illinois University and Edwardsville Institute for Urban Research Project Benefits The project intends to provide the following benefits to the community: Improve children's health by reducing lead poison- ing through a comprehensive strategy. Conduct blood lead screening of infants, pre- school-aged children and children in grades K-8, and pregnant mothers. 'Provide appropriate medico care service referrals to people identified with high-lead blood levels. Conduct lead-based paint hazard assessment and remediation throughout the county. Assess uncontrolled lead releases to surface soils in residential and school yards and parks. Conduct housing rehabilitation along with land- scaping efforts and weatherization. Conduct site assessments on abandoned lots and follow up with removal actions and demolition activities when necessary. Assist in building community capacity to recognize lead hazards and ways to reduce the threats to 67 ------- children's health, as well as avenues to better communicate and make environmental decisions. Promote a healthy environment for the environ- mental justice community by offering a greater avenue for residents to become more involved in environmental issues in their community. Conduct public meetings, availability sessions, lead outreach parties. Participate in neighborhood and church meetings. Distribute a quarterly newsletter. Project Contact Noemi Emeric EPA Region 5 (312) 886-0995 emeric.noemi@epa.gov Lessons Learned Strong partnerships among federal, state, and local government, local health care institutions, schools, and neighborhood organizations can take a project beyond its primary activity. In this example, the project evolved from one that only addressed lead as a major contaminant to one with two major working groupsone focused on health and communication concerns and the other on lead remediation and brownfields. Strong leadership can ensure effective strategic planning, coordination, and constant communica- tion among project partners. The key is to ensure that one partner takes the lead; otherwise the project will not move forward. Region 6 Community Involvement in Environmental Justice Communities Project Activity In FY99, FYOO, and FY01, EPA Region 6's Commu- nity Involvement Team mailed out fact sheets and notices concerning multiple Superfund sites to over 300,000 community residents, elected officials, and other interested parties, and conducted approximately 1 00 public meetings and open houses per year. In the communities with many Hispanic residents, all community involvement materials, including public notices and fact sheets, were translated into Spanish. More than 1,900 information calls were received by EPA staff. Project Participants EPA Region 6's Community Involvement Team Elected officials Community leaders Union officials School officials Community residents Project Benefits The sooner an impacted community is involved with and knowledgeable about a Superfund site in their community, the better the EPA decisions and actions will be. Often neighborhood residents can provide more input and information about site activities. An informed community will be better participants in site activities. Lessons Learned Involve community participants early and often. Ensure that fact sheets are written with simple, easy to understand language. Provide Spanish fact sheets with graphics, as well as translations. Mail invitations and fact sheets out to the commu- nity no later than two weeks in advance of site activities. Provide a toll-free telephone number to the community so they can call to have their names added to the mailing list. Project Contact Beverly Negri Community Involvement Team Leader EPA Region 6 (214) 665-8157 negri. beverly@epa.gov |68 ------- D Region 7 Outreach to Schools in Environmental Justice Communities Project Activity In February and March 2001, EPA Region 7 staff visited five schoolsboth high schools and middle schoolsin the Kansas City metropolitan area as part of Black History Month. They also spoke to more than 500 metropolitan children on Earth Day 2001. - A week later they moderated a session on "Economic Development for Rural Communities" as part of the Latino Civil Rights Summit at Penn Valley Community College. The presentations focused on chemical accident awareness and the importance of community involvement. Students and teachers learned how to locate chemicals in their neighborhood using EPA's Toxics Release Inventory database. They also dis- cussed community involvement activities related to emergency planning. Project Participants High school and middle school students and teachers Community college students Environmental justice communities Project Benefits Students and teachers learned how to identify hazard- ous chemicals in their community, thereby increasing their understanding of chemical hazards and empow- ering them to take steps to prevent possible accidental releases and react to such releases should they occur. At the community college, students from diverse communities in Kansas and Missouri learned how to address pressing issues concerning their community's economics and environmental sustainability. Lessons Learned It is relatively easy to get students interested in learning about chemical hazards in the community. They enjoy working with computer databases and mapping programs. In turn, this empowers them to influence their families and friends in decreasing their levels of risk from chemicals in the community. Project Contact Mark Smith CEPP Coordinator EPA Region 7 (913) 551-7876 smith.mark@epa.gov 69 ------- Glossar Ambient Air Quality around us. The quality of the air all Antidegradat/on A policy banning any discharges that would "degrade," or make worse, the existing water quality of a water body, or degrade its current ability to serve specific uses, such as drinking water, fishing, or recreation. Bioaccumu/afion The retention or storage of chemical substances in the body, usually in fatty tissues, for long periods of time, with the total amount of chemicals in the body increasing the longer a person is exposed to them. Brownfields Contaminated areas, usually within a city or urban area, that are being cleaned up for future industrial use. Areas cleaned up under a brownfields program often are subject to different requirements than sites cleaned up under the Superfund program. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) - Commonly known as Superfund, this Act established prohibitions and requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites, provided for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazard- ous waste at these sites, and established a trust to provide for cleanup when no responsible party could be identified. Contaminants Pollutants in air, water, soil, or food. A contaminant could be chemicals released by a facility, household products used incorrectly, car exhaust, stream discharges, or other materials that could cause harm to humans or the environment. Corrective Action A change in procedure or method to correct deviations form permit require- ments, or to clean up preexisting contamination. Under some statutes, EPA can require corrective action at existing sites as a condition of receiving a permit to continue operations. Cumulative Health Impacts Combined effect of multiple pollutants on an individual or individuals. Some statutes require that the government consider cumulative health impacts before allowing additional sources of pollution. This is an important consider- ation in neighborhoods with multiple sources of potentially hazardous substances. Delegation The arrangement under which a state government assumes the lead role in running a federal program. To receive delegated authority, the state must meet certain minimum requirements. Discretionary Optional or non-mandatory. Emergency Response Plan - Guidelines devel- oped by state and local governments to protect the community in the case of a catastrophic event, such as a facility fire, tornado, or hurricane. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Local Emergency Planning Commissions prepare and provide these plans to citizens. Certain facilities that produce, use, or store chemical sub- stances must have site-specific emergency response plans. Environmental Assessment (EA) A preliminary analysis required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA is used to determine whether an activity supported by the federal government would significantly affect the environmental impact assess- ment. Public comments on the draft EA can be instrumental in convincing an agency that a federal action is required. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) An evaluation that considers all harmful effects of a proposed action on humans and ecosystems, and determines whether there are other, less harmful, ways of accomplishing the same goa , including taking no action. The public has the right to comment in this process. As part of its EIS review process, EPA is supposed to identify environmental justice communities and meet with affected groups to try to identify and understand environmental justice concerns that should be addressed in the NEPA process. Environmental Justice the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws and policies, and their meaningful involvement in the decision-making processes of the government. Environmentally Burdened Community A community that has disproportionate, or unequal, exposure to pollutants or polluting facilities. Federal Facility Any building, structure, installation, or equipment owned, operated, or funded by the federal government. I/O ------- Federal Register - The publication in which EPA and otherfederal agencies publish their notices to the public about proposed actions, and advertise public com- ment periods. The Federal Register is searchable online at: www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/ Groundwater - The supply of fresh water found beneath the earth's surface, usually in aquifers, that supply wells and springs. Because groundwater is a major source of drinking water, there is growing concern over contamination from leaching agricultural or industrial pollutants or leaking underground storage tanks. Guidance Recommendations on how laws should be put into action, as opposed to formal regulations or law. Hazardous Substances EPA defines this in two ways: 1) any material that poses a threat to human health and/or the environment. Typical hazardous substances are toxic, corrosive, ignitable, explosive, or chemically reactive; or 2) any substance designated by EPA to be reported if a designated quantity of the substance is spilled in the waters of the United States or is otherwise released into the environment. Hazardous Wasfe Waste materials that contain certain hazardous chemicals. RCRA sets out standards for the handling, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous wastes. Local Emergency Planning Commission A committee appointed by the state emergency re- sponse commission, as required by SARA Title III, to formulate a comprehensive emergency plan for its jurisdiction. LEPCs are notified by facilities that store or use toxic chemicals and the LEPCs develop emer- gency plans based on this information. Local Information Repository A location where public information about a Superfund cleanup is kept. Major Federal Action Any federal activity with substantial potential impact, as determined on a case-by-case basis. Non-discretionary Mandatory. Citizens are entitled to sue EPA and other agencies for failing to perform non-discretionary duties. Nonpoint Source Pollution sources that do not have a single point of origin or are not introduced into a receiving stream from a specific outlet. These pollutants are generally carried off the land by storm water. Common non-point sources are agriculture, forestry, urban, mining, construction, dams, channels, land disposal, saltwater intrusion, and city streets. Pollution The contamination of air, water, soil, or food supplies by toxic and other pollutants. Pollutant - Any substance introduced into the environ- ment that negatively affects the usefulness of a resource or the health of humans, animals, or ecosys- tems. A pollutant could include chemicals released by a facility, household products used incorrectly, car exhaust, or other materials that could cause harm to humans orthe environment. Polluter - One who releases pollutants or conducts other activities without the required permits, or in violation of those permits. Primacy - Having the primary responsibility for administering and enforcing regulations. For ex- ample, a state can have primacy to run a federal program. To receive primacy the state must meet certain minimum requirements. Regulations The rules developed by agencies that contain the details needed to implement the general requirements found in laws. Regulations are devel- oped in draft first. The public has an opportunity to comment on regulations before they are finalized. Resource Conservation and Recover/ Acf (RCRA) This Act was enacted be Congress in 1 976. RCRA's primary goals are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an envi- ronmentally sound matter. Resource Conservaf/on and Recovery Acf (RCRA) Brownfield A RCRA facility that is not in full use, where there is redevelopment potential, and where reuse or redevelopment of that site is slowed due to real or perceived concerns about actual or potential contamination, liability, and RCRA require- ments. Right to Comment The opportunity for citizens or citizen groups to provide input or express concerns about proposed activities or plans. The public has the right to comment under a number of different environ- mental laws. Risk Assessment A study or evaluation that identifies, and in many cases quantifies, the potential harm posed to health and the environment by contamination. Risk assessments may make assump- tions about the affected community that may not be accurate. 71 ------- Risk Management Plan (RMP) A summary of a facility's Risk Management Program that is required of some facilities under the Clean Air Act. The RMP provides state and local.governments with information about the risks of a chemical accident at a facility and what the facility is doing to prevent such accidents. Sensitive Populations Groups of people who are more at risk for illness or disease than the general population. This could be because they are already in poor health, or because they had more exposure to certain pollutants than other people in similar situa- tions. Solid Waste Any waste that is not hazardous. This generally includes municipal garbage and nonhaz- ardous industrial wastes. Sfate Emergency Response Commission A formal group required by EPCRA and appointed by the Governor of the state. Subs/sfence What is required to maintain life. Superfund The program operated under the legislative authority of CERCLA that funds and carries out EPA solid waste emergency and long-term removal and remedial activities. These activities include establishing the National Priorities List, investi- gating sites for inclusion on the list, determining their priority, and conducting and/or supervising cleanup and other remedial actions. Supplemental Environmental Pro/ecf In some cases, EPA has allowed or required companies to pay for and implement "supplemental environmental projects," or SEPs, which do not benefit the company in any way. This could include restoration of other environmental resources in the area, funding of a community environmental organization, a community cleanup or beautification project, or citizen monitoring program. Total Maximum Daily Load A process through which states or EPA divide or share the amount of pollution that is allowed in a water body among various pollution sources in order to implement water quality standards. Variance A procedure by which someone can ask the government for an exception to an environmental requirement due to unique circumstances. 72 ------- Index of Projects by Office or Region OERR (with Region 9) Superfund: 2007 Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJJI) Project at the Newmark Contamination Superfund Site in Son Bernadino, California 29 OSWER RCRA: Development of Waste Transfer Station Guidance Documents 47 Region 1 Brownfields Job Training: The New Bedford, Massachusetts, Brownfields Environmental Job Training Program 9 Brownfields Revitalization: Returning Vacant Lots in Providence, Rhode Island, to Productive Re-Use 17 Superfund: Eastern Surplus Company Superfund Site, Cleanup and Cultural Resource Protection 30 The 76-80 Pliny Street Superfund Site Removal Action 31 RCRA; CBS Corp./Viacom Site in Bridgeport, Connecticut 48 Region 2 Brownfields Job Training: Brownfields Job Training and Development Pilots 10 Brownfields Revitalization: Brownfields Program Development in Puerto Rico 19 Brownfields and Waterfront Development -. 20 Superfund: Superfund Cleanups Conducted in Massena, NewYork, With Tribal Assistance 32 RCRA: Community Involvement in Setting RCRA Program Priorities 49 Improving Solid Waste Management on Tribal Lands 51 73 P ------- Region 3 Brownfields Revitalization: PECO Remediation and Redevelopment Project, Chester, Pennsylvania 22 Super/und: TheAnacosf/a River Initiative 33 Logan Removal Site: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 34 Region 4 Brownfields Revitalization: Environmental Justice Demonstration Pilot in Spartanburg, South Carolina 23 Superfund: Community Involvement at Two Superfund Sites in Anniston, Alabama 35 Escambia Treating Company Superfund Activity Update 36 Environmental Justice Training: Environmental Justice Training in Region 4 (FY1999) 59 Mississippi Statewide Environmental Justice Summit 60 Community Involvement, Outreach, and Planning: Collaborative Model of the People of Color and Disenfranchised Communities (POC/DC) EnvironmentalHealth Network and Federal Agencies 63 Teachers Environmental Institutes : 64 Region 5 Brownfields Revitalization: Protecting Children's Health and Reducing Lead Exposure through Collaborative Partnerships 25 RCRA; Environmental Justice Analysis in Northwest, Indiana 52 Community Involvement, Outreach, and Planning: Metro East Lead Collaborative Partnership 66 74 ------- Region 6 Brownfields Job Training: The Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI's )Minority Worker Training Program and the Brownfields Showcase Community Minority Worker Training Grants Program 13 Superfund: Supplemental Environmental Project for Emergency Preparedness and Response and Community Right-to-Know 37 Kenned/ Heights 38 Overcoming Community Mistrust and Opposition During the Implementation of a Removal Action at the Agriculture Street Landfill Superfund Site 39 Environmental Justice Training: All-Indian Pueblo Council's Pueblo Office of Environmental Protection (POEP) Dip Vat Bioremediation Pilot Project Under the Initiative to Enhance the Role of States and Tribes in Superfund 61 Community Involvement, Outreach, and Planning: Community Involvement in Environmental Justice Communities 68 Region 7 Brownfields Job Training: Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilots 14 Brownfields Revitalization: Wellston, Missouri, Brownfields Redevelopment Habitat for Humanity 26 Superfund: Residential Mercury Cleanups 40 RCRA: RCRA Corrective Action Success in South Omaha 53 Environmental Justice Training: Environmental Justice Awareness Training in Region 7 62 Co mm unify Involvement, Outreach, and Planning: Outreach to Schools in Environmental Justice Communities 69 75 ------- Region 8 Brownfie/ds Job Training: Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, North Dakota: San Haven Redevelopment Brownfields Pro/ecf and Brownfields Job Training Grant 75 Brownfie/ds Revitalization: South Westminster Brownfields Project, City of Westminster, Colorado 27 Superfund: Dynamite Removal Near the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe's Village in Sisseton, South Dakota 4 ] RCRA: FY 2001 Hamilton Sundstrand Corrective Action in Denver, Colorado 54 Making Siting Decisions for a Corrective Action Management Unit at the BP-Amoco Refinery Site in Casper, Wyoming : 55 Region 9 Superfund: Newmark Superfund Site, Muscoy Operable Unit 42 Purity Oil Sales Superfund Site 44 Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mine Project, Water Data Outreach Effort v 45 Region 10 Alaska Native Health Board Solid Waste Demonstration Project 55 Hansville Landfill and the Pt. Gamble S'Klallam Tribe 5<5 176 ------- |