United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA500-F-97-161 September 1997 SERA Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot North Stapleton, CO Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101) 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. Between 1995 and 1996, EPA funded 76 National and Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of brownfields solutions. EPAis funding morethan 27 Pilots in 1997. The Pilots 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 Region 8 has selected the Cities of Denver and Commerce City for a Regional Brownfields Pilot. The Pilot targets approximately 2,500 acres of the former Stapleton International Airport (SIA), as well as 640 acres currently part of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to be purchased by Commerce City pursuant to Federal legislation. A groundwater plume. contaminated by chlorinated solvents, originates from the Montbello Industrial Park and passes through the property; the source of the plume is not related to SIA. Northeast Denver is now experiencing a dramatic transformation as several contaminated properties in the general vicinity of SIA are being cleaned up and converted to productive use. Three significantpublic sites, including SIA, are all undergoing historical changes, as they close and are redeveloped. In addition, the Sand Creek Brownfields Pilot borders this Pilot's targeted property. Through these efforts, the area has demonstrated its commitment to community involvement in planning for redevelopment. The Pilot project will affect about 58,000 Denver area residents—all of Commerce City and several northeast Denver neighborhoods (North Park Hill, Northeast Park Hill, Montbello, and East Monclair). The 1990 unemployment rates in these neighborhoods PILOT SNAPSHOT North Stapleton, Colorado Date of Award: August 1997 Amount: $200,000 Site Profile: The Pilot targets approximately 2,500 acres of the former Stapleton International Airport as well as 640 acres currently part of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to be purchased by Commerce City. Contacts: Myles Carter City and County of Denver Department of Aviation (303) 342-2200 (ext. 2628) Beth Conover Stapleton Development Corporation (303) 295-7900 Pat Smith U.S. EPA-Region 8 (303)312-6803 smith.patricia@epamail.epa.gov Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ ------- range from 8.52 to 15.6 percent, with 1989 poverty rates ranging from 13.2 to 28.2 percent. These neighborhoods have minority populations from 44 to 96 percent, as compared to the 35 percent minority population average for the City of Denver. For many years, these residential communities have been impacted by the presence of large military facilities, as well as by extensive industrial development along the Denver-Commerce City boundary. Redevelopment of SIA, which is directly adjacent to these disadvantaged communities, will assist in the improvement of their economic status and environmental conditions. In the past few years. Denver has undergone a significant shift in its job base. A majority of the new jobs anticipated from redevelopment efforts related to this Pilot will be created for local residents. The Pilot offers an opportunity to enhance the strengths of the neighborhoods that have grown up around it by- providing employment and job-train ing opportunities. extensive parks, trails and open spaces, and a diversity of housing options. Hie integration of jobs and housing is part of an overall strategy to increase access to the area and reduce vehicle miles and regional air quality impacts. OBJECTIVES The Pilot's focus is to facilitate the revitalization and redevelopment of the northern zone of SIA and the Commerce City parcel. The Pilot aims to reverse environmental and economic trends and blighting, increase assessed property value and private investment, increase the quantity and quality of employment opportunities, and reclaim potentially valuable property for mixed-use development. Specific milestones critical to achieving this redevelopment include the identification and review of baseline conditions at the sites to establish the extent of contamination. The tasks planned through the Pilot, including site assessment andthe education of local residents and specific community sectors, will benefitthe entire area through improved economic and environmental conditions. AND The Pilot will: * Revi ew and evaluate the quality and extent of existing sampling and analytical data; * Conduct a risk assessment to quantify the human health and ecological risks resulting from a groundwater plume of chlorinated solvents; * Prepare a corrective measures study to evaluate and select appropriate remedial measures if the risk assessment indicates that the plume presents an unacceptable level of human health risk; * Prepare informational outreach materials for appraisers, lenders, builders, potential buyers, and the general public to explain the health and ecological risks associated with this property; and * Develop a strategy to provide regulatory relief, tax incentives, and/or creative financing solutions for buyers, lenders, and developers. The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot September 1997 North Stapleton, Colorado EPA 500-F-97-161 ------- |