ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE
REDEVELOPMENT AND REUSE
www.epa.gov/enforcement/cleanup/revitalization/er3
November 2009
EPA Publication No. 330-F-09-001
ER3 PROMOTES A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BY FACILITATING ENVIRONMENTALLY
RESPONSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT AND REUSE OF CONTAMINATED PROPERTIES.
The Power of Partnerships
ER3 is supported by a collaborative network of
partners from EPA, other federal agencies,
states, non-profits, and the private sector, which
works together to identify, develop, and deliver
sustainable practices during the redevelopment
of contaminated sites.
ER3 partners can provide information on:
• Design charettes
• Green remediation
• Green building concepts
• Ecological enhancements and habitat
protection
• Low-impact building
• Energy efficiency
• Other sustainable development attributes
ER3 Incentives
EPA can offer incentives and assistance to
cleanup and redevelopment projects at
contaminated sites that incorporate "green"
elements into the cleanup, design, and
construction.
ER3 promotes sustainable redevelopment and
reuse by identifying site-specific incentives such
as addressing liability concerns or streamlining
oversight requirements.
Empire Canyon ER3 partners at press
event in April 2007.
Sustainability Criteria
Sustainable cleanup and development offer
environmental, financial, and social benefits
beyond the usual redevelopment practices. ER3
calls for superior standards in environmental
design and construction. ER3 understands that
each project is unique and evaluates them
individually.
Examples of sustainable elements that may be
incorporated into ER3 projects include:
High Performance Green Building Design,
Construction, and Operation
Smart Growth Principles
Advanced Storm Water and Waste Water
Management
Ecological Enhancement and Habitat
Preservation
Green Remediation
Muskegon Heights community
partner meeting.
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PILOT PROJECTS
These projects are excellent examples of how to responsibly transform a contaminated site back into an
environmental and economic asset for the community. They prove environmentally responsible redevelopment
and reuse at formerly contaminated sites can be achieved through cooperation and collaboration with federal,
state, public, and private partners.
EMPIRE CANYON: GREEN RESORT AND SPA
In April 2007, EPA announced the first ER3 agreement to cleanup and sustainably
redevelop the Daly West Mine Superfund Site in Empire Canyon, a historic ore
mining and processing area located in Park City, Utah. EPA provided CERCLA
liability relief, in the form of a
Prospective
(PLA), from
enforcement
1907 photo of the Daly
West Mine.
Artist rendering of the Montage
Resort & Spa.
Lessee Agreement
certain future EPA
actions in exchange
for DV Luxury Resort, LLC's (DVLR)
agreement to perform cleanup
actions. DVLR also committed to
sustainable redevelopment at the
site by agreeing to build a "green"
hotel, spa and condominium project, known as the Montage
Resort & Spa, by incorporating specific "green" features into the
design, construction, and operation. The resort is scheduled to
open in December 2010.
MUSKEGON HEIGHTS: SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOOD
Muskegon Heights, Michigan is working to revive its once vibrant economy, which fell victim to the exodus of
industrial jobs, like many other rust belt communities. This disadvantaged town is creatively engaging with
local developers, the State, EPA, and other
stakeholders to transform a contaminated
wastewater treatment plant that sits
fenced and idled, into a moderately priced,
socially and environmentally sustainable
neighborhood and housing development, to
be named Mona Terrace. The plan was
conceived at a design charette involving
the community and the local government.
In cooperation with ER3 partners, key
stakeholders hold a vision of a sustainable
Former Water Treatment
Plant.
future for Muskegon Heights and have contributed resources toward making
this project a success, while exploring enforcement incentives.
AMERICAN BARREL: GREENING A FORMER STORAGE YARD
Artist rendering of the
Muskegon Heights Urban In-
Fill Redevelopment.
The Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, Utah (RDA) is supporting
efforts to design a "green" commercial redevelopment project at the Utah
Power & Light/American Barrel Company Superfund Site, a former storage
yard, as part of a larger redevelopment project. A Prospective Purchaser
Agreement (PPA) provides CERCLA liability protection to the RDA, requires
the RDA to implement the necessary institutional control by placing an
environmental
covenant on the
property with use and activity
restrictions, to pay the United States
$30,000 for future oversight of the
covenant, and provide EPA site
access. In addition, the RDA will
request that future developers
incorporate "green" features into the
design, construction, and operation of the development, meeting
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver
standards for commercial buildings. Redevelopment will provide
substantial public benefit by providing jobs, increasing the tax base,
and lessening the need for such development on greenfields.
View northeast across the
American Barrel Superfund
Site during cleanup.
View southeast across the Site
where future mixed-use
development is planned. Recent
mixed-use development is visible
in background.
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