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COLLABORATIVE CLEANUPS:
Achieving Cleanup, Restoration and Revitalization with Communities
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promoting collaborative cleanup activities that better coordinate the implementation of land cleanup and water protection authorities, promote sustainable management approaches,
and bring the know-how, energy, and strengths of many different stakeholders to the table. The Urban Rivers Restoration Initiative and the One Cleanup Program pilot projects are real world testing grounds for these environmental
management approaches. This fact sheet provides a general overview of and Web links to collaborative cleanup activities for use by communities and agencies that face similar cleanup and revitalization challenges.
Urban Rivers Restoration Initiative
One Cleanup Program
Volunteers clean up at the Elizabeth River Project,
part of Virginia's Elizabeth River Restoration Pilot.
A central element in the American urban
landscape, urban rivers have provided power,
avenues for shipping and commerce, and
recreational opportunities. They also carry
the legacy of our industrial history, which has
left behind contaminated sediments, degraded
water quality, and lost habitat. The challenges
associated with assessing risk and cleaning up
contaminated rivers are often exacerbated by
the existence of multiple cleanup authorities and competing requirements.
In July 2002, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers entered into a Memorandum
of Understanding to address these
challenges and facilitate cooperation for
environmental remediation; the restoration
of degraded rivers; and the protection
of public health, economic sustainability
and community vitality. The two
agencies, in concert with state partners,
designated eight demonstration pilot
projects to coordinate the planning and
implementation of urban river cleanup and
restoration as part of the Urban Rivers Restoration Initiative (URRI).
For more information, visit www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/urbanrivers/.
Sediment capping at the Anacostia River Watershed in the
District of Columbia.
EPA faces challenging area-wide contamination problems caused by multiple sources
and sites, such as regional ground water contamination; polluted rivers, estuaries, and
watersheds; historic, un-reclaimed mining regions; and under-utilized or abandoned urban
and industrial centers. These large scale, area-wide contamination problems cannot easily
be solved using a single program or
authority. EPA managers are using
collaborative and coordinated, multi-
program approaches to tackle these
complex issues.
The One Cleanup Program (OCP)
is EPAs vision for how different
cleanup programs at all levels of
government can work together to
ensure that resources, activities, and results are effectively coordinated, implemented, and
communicated to the public. As part of the One Cleanup Program initiative, EPA Regions
and states identified projects that highlight successful
cross-program management ideas for area-wide
contamination problems. These projects promote
effective cross-program coordination, cleanup
approaches, planning, community benefits, and
ideas about cleanup and revitalization for area-wide
contamination problems. For more information, visit
www.epa.gov/oswer/onecleanupprogram/.
The Lefthand Creek Watershed in Colorado.
The Bryan Dairy al the Cross Bayoii
in Florida.
To learn about the Collaborative Cleanup meeting series please
contact EPA at collaborativecleanups@sra.com or go to the EPA
land revitalization home page at www.epa.gov/landrevitalization.
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Urban Rivers Restoration Initiative
(URRI) Pilots
The B/ackstone-Woonasquotucket River Pilot (Rhode Island and
Massachusetts) targets key geographic and economic areas in these
watersheds for cleanup, restoration, reuse and revitalization.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_blackstone.pdf
The Lower Passaic River Remediation and Ecosystem Restoration
Pilot (Newjersey) focuses on remediation of the contaminated
sediments and restoration of the natural habitat on the Lower Passaic
River, a 173-square mile watershed covering a highly developed
industrial area.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_Passaic.pdf
The Gowanus Canal and Bay Ecosystem Restoration Pilot
(New York) aims to demonstrate that remediation of contaminated
sediments in degraded urban rivers will improve water quality, restore
degraded habitat, promote economic revitalization, renew public use of
natural resources, and increase recreational enjoyment.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_Gowanus.pdf
The Elizabeth River Restoration Pilot (Virginia) focuses on legacy
industrial pollution and supports the Elizabeth River Project effort
to motivate property owners along the river to make voluntary
improvements which allow wildlife and aquatic life to coexist
with businesses.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_elizabeth.pdf
The Anocostia River Watershed Restoration Pilot (District of
Columbia and Maryland) focuses on achieving pollution reductions,
ecological restoration, and public stewardship of the
Anacostia watershed.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_anacostia.pdf
The Fourche Creek Pilot (Arkansas) attempts to improve water
quality, restore wetland functions, and emphasize educational
operations and awareness.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_fourche.pdf
The City Creek/Gateway District Pilot (Utah) seeks to restore City
Creek, an urban river in the center of Salt Lake City, encased below
city streets.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_citycreek.pdf
The Tres Rios Pilot (Arizona) focuses on the characterization and
possible pollution mitigation and remediation of the 123rd Avenue
Landfill located in the Gila Riverbed west of Phoenix.
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/download/factsheet_tres_rios.pdf
Moving Forward
In early 2007, EPA will issue a Lessons Learned report to share
the experiences, strengths, and challenges faced by the URRI
and OCP pilots. The report will be available at:
www.epa.gov/landrevitalizati
One Cleanup Program
(OCR) Area-Wide Pilots
United States Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
«>EPA
EPA-500-F-06-002
November 2006
www.epa.gov/landrevitalization
The following is a summary of selected OCP Area-Wide Pilots.
Additional information on the OCP Initiative can be found at
www.epa.gov/oswer/onecleanupprogram/docs/OCPFactSheet.pdf.
The Tanner Street Initiative Area-Wide Pilot (Massachusetts) focuses
on a cluster of sites that are being addressed under multiple authorities
in a heavily industrialized section of Lowell.
The Little Elk Creek Pilot (Maryland) is developing a collaborative,
cross-programmatic approach to address a ground water contamination
problem and support development and reuse needs of the surrounding
community. www.epa.gov/region03/revitalization/little_elk_creek/
ElkCreekRevisedActionPlan.pdf
The Cross Bayou Watershed Pilot (Florida) focuses on the Cross
Bayou Watershed in Pinellas County. The multi-stakeholder effort
focuses on developing a Watershed Management Plan for the 10.5 mile
long Cross Bayou Canal.
The City of Dayton, Ohio One Cleanup Pilot (Ohio) focuses on the
cleanup and green redevelopment of a former General Motors property,
to play a key part in Dayton's plan for revitalizing the downtown
riverfront area.
Oklahoma City (OKC) One Cleanup Pilot (Oklahoma) focuses
on a five square mile area of Eastside Oklahoma City to overcome
environmental issues while enhancing OKC's ongoing efforts at Eastside
economic rebirth.
The Lefthand Creek Watershed Cross-programmatic Assessment
and Remediation Pilot (Colorado) focuses on conducting a cross-
programmatic assessment and cleanup in a mining impacted watershed.
www.epa.gov/region8/land_waste/revitalization/lefthandonedeanup.pdf
Mountain View Area-Wide Pilot (California) focuses on effective
communication with the community surrounding three adjacent waste
cleanup sites that form a cluster of sites in "Silicon Valley."
www.epa.gov/Region9/annualreport/04/land.html
The Eastern Mchaud Flats Pilot (Idaho) seeks to develop a detailed
scope of work for a Master Plan for Reuse that will use a streamlined
formal stakeholder involvement process for redevelopment.
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