State and Tribal Response
Program Highlights
EPA Funding Provided to States and Tribes to Address Contaminated Land in their Communities
REGION I
CONNECTICUT- In December 2010, the Connecticut Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) used Section 128(a) Response
Program funding to kick off its newest outreach initiative, the
Remediation Roundtable. The Remediation Roundtable is an open
forum for the exchange of ideas and information on the various
site cleanup programs in Connecticut. The first roundtable was
attended by environmental consultants, attorneys, DEP staff, EPA
Brownfields grantees, and members of the business community.
Topics included: updates on the DEP Remediation Division's LEAN
initiatives, improving the Environmental Land Use Restriction
process, improvements to the Division's Potable Water program,
and revisions to Remediation Division guidance documents. The
roundtables will be held every other month at the DEP office in
Hartford. The meetings are open to the public and DEP welcomes
input on topics for future roundtable discussions. Information on the
Remediation Roundtable can be found at: http://www.ct.gov/dep/
remediationroundtable.
REGION 2
NEW YORK - The Paper Mill Island Park property is surrounded by
the Seneca River and the New York State Barge Canal. The property
was occupied by a paper mill from the mid-1800s until 1959; this
was followed by numerous industrial and commercial enterprises
through the late 1980s when the property was abandoned. The island
was later donated to the Village of Baldwinsville which recognized
the potential value of the property as part of a larger waterfront
revitalization project. After acquiring the property, the village entered
into a State Assistance Contract with the New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation—which uses Section 128(a)
Response Program funding to oversee brownfields projects—to
perform a site investigation and evaluate remedial alternatives for the
property. As a result of the investigation, underground storage tanks
and contaminated soil were removed, a clean soil cap was placed
over the entire property, and the shoreline was stabilized to prevent
erosion. The park now hosts concerts and events from May through
September and has become a popular destination for residents and
tourists. The park includes a world-class amphitheater, docks for
boaters, and open space with paved walkways and benches.
REGION 3
DELAWARE - The Center for Applied Demography & Survey
Research at the University of Delaware used Section 128(a)
Response Program funding from the Delaware Department of Natural
Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to conduct a study
to measure the economic impact of the Delaware Brownfield's
Program. The report evaluated the economic impact of brownfields
development by measuring changes in the brownfield property's
value and neighboring business activity. The data were collected from
DNREC, the Delaware Department of Labor, the Delaware Economic
Development Office, county tax assessment records, and the Center
for Applied Demography & Survey Research. The study showed
that brownfields development has positive impacts in New Castle
County and Sussex County, but less so in Kent County. In New
Castle County, brownfield property values increased 106% since
1998, more than 10 times district growth. Property values in Sussex
County increased 166% since 2000, while the relevant district growth
rate was 93%. However, brownfield property values in Kent County
increased (4%) less than the district (22%). Overall, large economic
benefits are generated from brownfields redevelopment in Delaware.
ALABAMA- With original operations beginning as the Siluria Cotton
Mill Company in 1904, this mill was once the largest employer in
Shelby County. As with many locations throughout the country, this
textile mill was the heart of the small community of Siluria, which
is now a part of the City of Alabaster. The mill village included 120
cottages for employees and their families, stores, a hotel, a church,
a school, doctor and dentist offices, and a movie theater. The facility,
which was last operated as the Buck Creek Cotton Mill, closed for
good in 1979 and soon after fell into disrepair and became a blight
to local neighborhoods. In 2003, the City of Alabaster purchased
The Paper Mill Island Park, located at the Seneca River, before (left) and after renovation.
The Alabaster Senior Center in Alabama, which opened September 19, 2010.
CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Fundin
November/December 2010
-------
the 22-acre property and the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management used Section 128(a) Response Program funding
to conduct an assessment of the property. Upon completion of
the assessment, it was determined that all the buildings, with the
exception of the old jail building, would be razed. In November
2009, the City of Alabaster, with the assistance of additional funding
by a Shelby County Health Foundation grant and a Shelby County
Community Center grant, broke ground on a new senior center. The
Alabaster Senior Center was officially opened on September 19,
2010, and provides an array of activities and community function
space for the senior citizens in the area. Activities at the center
include a walking trail, exercise classes, crafts, and gardening.
REGION 5
LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE - In 2007, the Leech Lake
Brownfields program used Section 128(a) Response Program
funding to performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment on
the Onigum Parish Hall that was suspected to have asbestos and
lead paint contamination. The building, owned by the Episcopal
Diocese of Minnesota, is adjacent to a Head Start Center. Soil
sampling around the perimeter of the building conducted by Leech
Lake Brownfields staff confirmed the soil exceeded the Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe Hazardous Substances Control Act (LLBO HSCA)
cleanup standard for lead. In 2010, the Leech Lake Brownfields
program, in accordance with the LLBO HSCA, required the owners to
investigate the release of hazardous substances. The Band approved
the plan submitted by the diocese that included demolition and soil
remediation. The diocese's contractors carried out the demolition,
removed lead-contaminated soil, conducted verification sampling,
and backfilled portions of the property, in compliance with Leech
Lake laws and the Leech Lake Brownfields program requirements.
REGION 6
TEXAS - The Exell Helium Plant is a 330-acre federal facility that
manufactured helium from the 1940s until the 1970s. The north
section of the facility contained the plant and employee quarters
while the southern portion encompassed waste disposal areas,
including an incinerator ash landfill, evaporation and treatment
ponds, and a chromium sludge disposal trench. In 2005, the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) entered the property into Texas'
voluntary cleanup program to facilitate cleanup. Cleanup activities
consisted of the excavation and disposal of impacted soils and an
institutional control was used to restrict access to the landfills on the
southern portion of the property. Unaffected soils from the property
were used in the creation of the landfills' cover. The landfills were
also re-vegetated with native grasses and plants to prevent erosion
and restore natural conditions. BLM received a Ready for Reuse
determination for the property which was issued jointly by EPA
and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality—a Section
128(a) Response Program funding recipient. The Exell Helium Plant
Ready for Reuse determination will facilitate public sale by the U.S.
General Services Administration, as well as inform new owners of
environmental conditions when planning future development.
REGION 7
NEBRASKA-The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
(NDEQ) used Section 128(a) Response Program funding to form
a new partnership with the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)
to promote brownfields redevelopment. Nebraska is served entirely
by public power and NPPD is the state's largest electric utility.
Twice a year, NPPD hosts video conferences with economic
development experts from its Economic Development Team and
Nebraska Department of Economic Development (NDED) to
present information about resources for community growth and
development. NPPD provides the facility, technology and resources
across the state, and encourages small rural communities and
their economic development leaders to participate. This mutually
beneficial relationship continues to evolve as both organizations
include the other in outreach efforts. When NDEQ's Brownfields
Program organizes workshops, NPPD is encouraged to present
and participate. In addition, NPPD facilitated the Brownfields
Program's technical session at the Nebraska Economic Development
Association 2010 Fall Conference. Since the start of the partnership,
nearly a dozen rural communities have used the NDEQ's Brownfields
Program to clean up properties for economic redevelopment.
Onigum Parish Hall prior to demolition. The Head Start Center playground is on the right.
CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Fundin
November/December 2010
-------
REGION 8
REGION 10
COLORADO - On December 14, 2010, the Colorado Brownfields
Foundation (CBF) hosted a ribbon cutting event to unveil a new
home on the site of a former clandestine methamphetamine
operation (meth lab) in Northglenn (pop. 31,575). Once the meth
lab was discovered by police, the house was sealed by the city,
and subsequently the property was foreclosed on. In partnership
with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
(CDPHE), CBF evaluated redevelopment options and structured
a public-private partnership to acquire the property from the
bank. CDPHE used Section 128(a) Response Program funding
to conduct assessment and cleanup activities on the property
and CBF partner with a local homebuilder to design and construct
a modern, energy efficient home. The home was completed
in December 2010 with the cutting of a bright red ribbon by
Northglenn's Mayor Joyce Downing in front of a crowd of neighbors
and supporters. Located across from an elementary school, the
three-bedroom home is now awaiting its new family.
The three-bedroom home in Northglen which now graces the site of a former meth lab.
REGION 9
NEVADA-The Nevada Brownfields Program used Section 128(a)
Response Program funding to attend the Nevada Association of
Counties annual conference held on November 17 -19, 2010 in
Reno. State Brownfields staff had the opportunity to meet with county
officials and stakeholders to promote the Brownfields Program and
explain how it has helped municipalities throughout the state. A
number of public and private organizations from across the state
also participated in this unique event that brought municipal officials
together for meetings. In addition, the Nevada Department of
Environmental Protection (NDEP) presented posters that provide an
overview of brownfields projects across the state.
SWINOMISH INDIAN TRIBAL COMMUNITY-The Swinomish
Indian Tribal Community is using Section 128(a) Response Program
funding to increase its ability to respond to environmental concerns
which includes working actively to improve coordination with state
agencies (in the State of Washington) to provide input regarding
cleanup plans for properties of concern which impact tribal land.
Another focus is preventing the creation of brownfields through
education and outreach. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
has a unique Environmental Education Program which is managed
by its Water Resources Program. Water Resources Specialists and
field technicians in partnership with an environmental educator work
with "Tox-in-a-Box," an educational toolkit created by the University
of Washington that specializes in teaching the basics of toxicology.
The program has been presented to a variety of groups over the
past two years, including the La Conner schools and Swinomish La
Conner Boys and Girls Club. Presentations have also been made at
events such as Swinomish Earth Enhancement days. The Swinomish
Environmental Education Program expands each year with new
programs and new audiences.
United States
Environmental Protection
CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding
November/December 2010
EPA-560-F-II-OII
------- |