United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA500-F-97-071 May 1997 Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot Sand Creek Corridor, 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 selected Colorado's Sand Creek Corridor for a Regional Brownfields Pilot. Sand Creek Corridor is a 20-square mile area located in Northeast Denver which is heavily impacted by industry, but which has great potential as a commercial and recreational resource. Water quality in Sand Creek has been significantly affected by industrial discharges. In addition to brownfields, four Superfund sites are also in the immediate Sand Creek area, one of which has been identified as an environmental justice site. Sand Creek Corridor is characterized by ahigh minority, low-income population. OBJECTIVES The overall focus of the Pilot project is to address environmental quality, land use, and economic development in Sand Creek Corridor. The project also seeks to develop strategies to address issues related to the perception of contamination, transfer of ownership, pollution prevention, and environmental justice. Specific objectives of the project include: defining barriers to economic development in contaminated areas, or areas perceived to be contaminated; and developing and implementing strategies to allow for appropriate PILOT SNAPSHOT Sand Creek Corridor, Co Date of Award: September 1994 Amount: $175,000 Site Profile: The Pilot targets 3 sites within a 20- square mile area that is heavily impacted by industry. The sites are located in northeast Denver. Contacts: Tom Stauch City of Denver (303) 436-7305 U.S. EPA-Region 8 (303)312-6982 Dan Scheppers Co. Dept. of Public Health and Environment (303) 692-3398 Marlene Goettleman City of Commerce City (303)289-8196 Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- and sustainable development of brownfields. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES The Pilot has: • Formed cooperative working relationships with representatives from Commerce City, the City of Denver, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, and EPA Region 8 to lead the Pilot. Additionally, Adams County, environmental and public interest groups, other Federal agencies, local community groups, and the Chamber of Commerce are involved in the Pilot efforts; • Identified barriers to redevelopment resulting from liability concerns in the Sand Creek Corridor through a Lender Liability Focus Group meeting in March 1995;and • Developed possible solutions to impediments for brownfields redevelopment during a Policy Forum in April 1996 which included the perspectives of local, State, Federal, and the private sector. The Pilot is: • Focusing assessmentefforts on three sites within the Corridor; • Creating partnerships between communitymembers, local, State, and Federal officials and the private sector through all-day workshops aimed at promoting the dialogue on redevelopment issues; • Establishing an information clearinghouse to provide easy access to information on approaches to cleanup and reuse; • Assembling and disseminating information on alternative financing mechanisms for cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated property throughout the Corridor; • Compiling the history of the Pilot and documenting its successes and failures in order to share "lessons learned;" and • Conducting an intensive outreach effort targeted at the lending community. This is taking the form of small facilitated meetings with lenders to exchange information and concerns. LEVERAGING OTHER ACTIVITIES Experience with the Sand Creek Corridor Pilot has been a catalyst for related activities including the following. • Facilitated the redevelopment of the Colorado Organic Chemical site. The site is approximately six acres and has a Federally-owned warehouse located on it. The Pilot worked with the appropriate Federal agencies to resolve the issue of ownership and then assisted in identifying an interested developer. • Helped identify a developer for the 48th and Holly Streets Landfill. Worked to bring the municipality, the developer, and the Federal governmenttogether to arrive at a mutually acceptable redevelopment plan, and to transfer the property out of Federal ownership. • Selecting and working on redevelopment of brownfields properties in addition to the three currently included in the pilot. • Assisted the City of Denver in planning for the redevelopment of the Northside Treatment Plant. The Colorado National Guard plans to begin construction of a new facility at the site in the fall of 1997. This facility will also serve as a community center. A large portion of the 50 acre site will be developed as a park, with sports fields, trails along the South Platte River and wildlife viewing areas. About one-third of the site is planned for commercial/ retail development. Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot May 1997 Sand Creek Corridor, Colorado EPA 500-F-97-071 ------- |