United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-00-104
May 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
\>EPA Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot
Lansing, Ml
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and
sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and
an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training
pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to 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; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds
to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states,
tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods
to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
EPA has selected the City of Lansing for a Brownfields
Pilot. Lansing, the capital of Michigan, began as a
lumbering town in the early 1800s. In the 1890s, the
city began developing its industrial base with the
founding of Oldsmobile. The city became the world' s
forging center and established a strong white-collar
job base. Currently, Lansing is home to a number of
insurance, utility, and banking headquarters; several
trade associations and utilities; a number of cultural
resources such as the Michigan Historical Museum;
several educational institutions; and General Motors.
At present, the Lansing economy is primarily based
on the operations of the State of Michigan agencies,
General Motors, Michigan State University, and their
associated businesses.
Despite the fact the city is one of the cultural and
academic centers of the state, Lansing has not grown
substantially in the last 10 years, while the surrounding
areas of East Lansing and Delta Township have
increased substantially in population base andhousing.
Manufacturing growth in the city has been slow, and
the nature of the commercial sector has changed.
Lansing has identified approximately 100 potential
brownfield properties located throughoutthe city that,
when revitalized, will help reverse the city's decline.
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
May 2000
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The City of Lansing
is focusing on brownfields
properties locatedthroughout
the city.
Lansing, Ml
Contacts:
City of Lansing
(517)483-4594
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA-Region 5
(312)353-3161
Visit the EPA Region 5 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
Forfurther information, including specific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields newsand events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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The city has a median household income of $26,398,
15 percent below the state as a whole; and 19 percent
of the population lives below poverty level, a rate
which is 6 percent higher than the state's overall rate.
In 1997, two tax-free Renaissance Zones were created
in Lansing, which will be in place fora 12-year period,
and the entire city is designated as a redevelopment
area under the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
Plan. This offers tax incentives to prospective
purchasers and redevelopers ofbrownfield properties.
OBJECTIVES
Lansing's objective is to encourage the cleanup and
redevelopment of the city's brownfields and
discourage the development of outlying greenfields,
as well as reverse urban flight. The city hopes to
spur its rebirth as a key manufacturing center in
Michigan through the revitalization of its brownfield
properties, including sites surrounding a new $500
million manufacturing facility General Motors has
committed to build. The Pilot will supportthe city's
goals through environmental assessments and
outreach activities for priority brownfields.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Completing an inventory and a limited economic
analysis ofbrownfield properties and prioritizing
sites that will have the highest economic and social
value if redeveloped;
• Setting up an inventory ofbrownfield properties on
a web site;
• Conducting outreach to affected stakeholders and
involving the Greater Neighborhood Council, which
represents more than 70 neighborhood-based groups,
in outreach efforts; and
• Conducting environmental site assessments on the
highest-priority brownfields properties.
The cooperative agreementforthis Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subjectto change.
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot Lansing, Ml
May2000 EPA 500-F-00-104
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