United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA500-F-99-073 May 1999 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ >>EPA Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot Hennepin County, MN 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. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental field; and, cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds to make loans forthe environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs 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 Several hundred contaminated sites are located throughout the county. As part of the upper mid-west rail and river corridors, Hennepin County is experiencing the effects of the contamination of these former commercial and industrial sites. Many parcels of land in Hennepin County are unavailable for redevelopment because ofthe existence of contaminated soil. Mostof this contamination relates to industrial land uses earlier this century. These sites reduce the County'sproperty tax valuation, its overall quality of life, and inhibit efforts to retain and attract commercial and industrial businesses. Hennepin County's BCRLF targets sites throughoutthe County, with priority consideration for sites within the Minneapolis EmpowermentZone (EZ), and brownfields sites designated as special districts such as hazardous waste districts, tax increment financing districts. The unemployment rate in the Minneapolis EZ is 14 percent and 45 percent of residents are notinthe labor force. Hennepin County is a Brownfields Assessment Pilot. BCRLF OBJECTIVES Hennepin County will use BCRLF as an incentive to stimulate the cleanup ofthe underutilized properties scattered throughout the county. The BCRLF will PILOT SNAPSHOT Hennepin County, Minnesota Date of Announcement: May 25,1999 Amount: $500,000 BCRLF Target Area: Sites throughout the County, with priority consideration for sites within the Minneapolis Empowerment Zone, sites designated as special districts, and sites situated in disadvantaged communities Contacts: Program Director, Hennepin County Training and Employment Assistance (612) 348-5859 Visit the EPA Region 5 Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/ Region 5 Brownfields Coordinator (312) 886-4071 For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ ------- provide gap financing flexibility that will be used to leverage additional private and public funding. The BCRLF loans also will be used in aid of proj ects where non-tax generating uses including greenspace redevelopment are planned, and as a funding source for non-profit organizations to cleanup brownfields. Eligible borrowers may include private for-profit businesses, private non-profit businesses, and local public entities. FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS Hennepin County will serve as lead agency and will contract with the Community Reinvestment Fund (CRF) as fund manager. The CRF has been providing financial services to government entities for the past decade. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will assist the pilot in carrying out its site management responsibilities. LEVERAGING Hennepin County is partnering with the State of Minnesota's Department of Trade and Economic Development (DTED), the Metropolitan Council, the Minneapolis Community Development Corporation, and other interested organizations to enhance the leveraging possibilities of the BCRLF. The DTED has a contamination cleanup grant program that awards up to 75 percent of the cleanup costs to eligible public jurisdictions. Hennepin County will use B CRLF loans in conjunction with the State program. Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of funding also apply to BCRLF funds. Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot Hennepin County, Minnesota May 1999 EPA 500-F-99-073 ------- |