State and Tribal Response Program
Highlights
EPA Funding Provided to States and Tribes to Address Contaminated Land in their Communities
REGION I
MAINE - Lewiston's Bates Mill was once the largest employer in
Maine, with activity dating back to the mid-1850s. The enormous
textile complex served as both the geographic and cultural center
of downtown Lewiston, as most of its workers lived and shopped
within walking distance. The gradual decline of the textile industry
led to the mill's closure and abandonment in 2001. In 2011, the
Maine Department of Environmental Protection used Section
128(a) Response Program funding to provide assessment and
cleanup activities at the 10-acre site. In 2012, Bates Mill Building
No. 2 was redeveloped into the Lofts at Bates Mill, a mixed-income
apartment complex that also provides office and light industrial
space. The interiors and exteriors of the site's restored buildings
preserve the mill's historical decor, offering large windows,
exposed beams, and brick exteriors. In 2016, plans were finalized
for Building No. 5; Central Maine Healthcare and the YMCA will
occupy 150,000 square feet of the 350,000 square foot building.
Plans include a centralized health and wellness center that weaves
together the missions of both organizations and will greatly benefit
the community. Redevelopment of Building No. 5 will include a 1/6
mile indoor walking track, a swimming pool, a cardio and rehab
center, a medical office, and a grocery/market place.
REGION 2
ST. REGIS MOHAWK TRIBE (SRMT) - SRMT, located in
Akwesasne, NY, has continued to make progress in developing
its Section 128(a) Brownfields Response Program. The tribe has
continued to create an online brownfields inventory, is currently
developing an oversight and enforcement program, and is
conducting public outreach and other program-related activities.
The property inventory currently contains approximately 150
properties. The tribe developed a community involvement plan
and has conducted training sessions to inform the public on how
to access the program's online Public Record. In addition, SRMT
staff gave a presentation on cultural restoration at the 2015 Tribal
Lands and Environmental Forum in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The
presentation focused on the tribe's 4.5-acre "Frogtown" brownfield
site, a former open dump that is a priority for redevelopment on
the reservation. The tribe conducted a Phase I assessment on
the property that identified exposed damaged 55 gallon drums
containing unknown substances; as well as tires, household trash,
unmarked gas cylinders, old fuel tanker trucks, and junked cars.
A Phase II assessment of this site is being planned.
REGION 3
DELAWARE - The 45-acre former Avon Products property, located
in Newark, served as a warehouse and distribution center for
Avon cosmetic products from 1958 until 2009. Since 2009, the
394,000 square foot building has been vacant. Due to several
potential areas of environmental concern on the property, the
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Control (DNREC) used Section 128(a) Response Program funding
to conduct oversight of assessment activities in 2015. The results
indicated that the contamination was below cleanup action levels
and that no cleanup was required on the property. Beginning in
2016, a portion of the property will be developed as a liquor store
and the remaining portion into mixed commercial and residential
uses, including apartments, office space, retail shopping, and
several restaurants.
REGIO
KENTUCKY-A0.25-acre property in the Highlands neighborhood
of Louisville has been redeveloped into a new restaurant. The
former dry cleaning facility began operations in the 1960s and
closed in 2002, leaving the building vacant. The property entered the
Kentucky Brownfields Redevelopment Program and the Kentucky
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) used Section 128(a)
Response Program funding to provide assessment and cleanup
oversight. Cleanup included the removal and proper disposal of
contaminated soil. In 2015, the property was redeveloped into
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, creating over 50 new jobs and
serving stone-baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art-filled, and
family-friendly environment.
The newly constructed Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers restaurant.
CERCLA Section I28(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding
January/February/March 2016
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REGION 5
LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY BAND OF ODAWA (LTBB) - "Just A Plain-
Farm was a 312-acre property located just south of Mackinac City
in Carp Lake, Michigan. Surrounded by state forest land and with
access and water rights to the Carp Lake River, this cleared land
with barns, housing, irrigation and an orchard was purchased
by the LTBB in 2013 for continued use as an agricultural facility.
Historical use of the land dated back to the 1930s and was
primarily agricultural, with widespread applications of pesticides
and fertilizers. Through the tribe's Section 128(a) Response
Program funding, multiple environmental assessments identified
two open dumps consisting of several hundred pounds of plastics
and a cache of pesticide containers. In July 2015, LTBB funding
helped support cleanup efforts and the tribe's response program
partnered with the LTBB Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) to
remove the plastics and pesticide containers from the land. This
project doubled as an outreach effort by involving the YCC in
proper soil sampling techniques and the use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) during cleanup operations. Today, Ziibimijwang,
Inc. ("land of the flowing water" in Anishinaabemowin) is active in
producing organically-grown fruits, vegetables and grains.
LTBB YCC during removal activities at the property.
REGION 6
OKLAHOMA-A former gasoline service station and an adjacent
property in Roger Mills County was redeveloped into greenspace
and a recreational vehicle (RV) park and campgrounds,
respectively. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) used
Section 128(a) Response Program funding to provide oversight
of an underground storage tank (LIST) removal and subsequent
environmental assessments. The assessments indicated no
contamination concerns and the OCC issued a no further action
(NFA) letter for the property. In late 2015, after the completion of
assessment activities, the property served as a staging area for the
County Road Maintenance Department while the adjacent property
was developed into an RV park and campgrounds. The property
was subsequently redeveloped into greenspace. The greenspace
and park is centrally located in an area that contains national
reserves, historic markers, museums, and state parks and lakes;
and provides a place to stay and enjoy the nature and history of
Oklahoma while bringing economic growth to the local rural towns
and areas around the park.
REGION 7
NEBRASKA- Kayton International, a Nebraska based
manufacturer of farm equipment, closed its Norfolk office in 2013.
The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEO) used
Section 128(a) Response Program funding to conduct Phase I
environmental assessments on the vacant property. The results
indicated that there were no contamination concerns and that
the property was ready for reuse. Having the assessment report
completed prior to having a prospective buyer allowed for a quick,
smooth transaction and turnaround of unused assets. In 2015,
the property was purchased by Petersen AG Systems, which
refurbished the existing building, and leveraged eight new jobs and
more than one million dollars in investments.
Grand Opening ceremony at Petersen AG Systems.
CERCLA Section I28(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding
January/February/March 2016
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REGION 8
WYOMING - Near the Laramie River in the City of Laramie,
Wyoming sits a long idle, 3-acre former yttrium plant. The property
is owned by the Laramie Rivers Conservation District (LRCD) and
contains surface and subsurface contamination including metals,
Diesel-Range Organics (DRO), trace asbestos, and Semi-Volatile
Organic Compounds (SVOCs) including Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
(PAHs). Because of this extensive contamination, the property
was accepted into the Section 128(a) Response Program-funded
Wyoming Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) and the Wyoming
Brownfields Assistance (BFA) Program in February 2012. With
assistance from these state programs, LRCD applied for and
received a cleanup grant from EPA to proceed with targeted
excavation of contaminated soils. Demolition of existing structures at
the northern portion of the property took place in 2014-2015 with the
aid of a Community Development Block Grant. The southern half of
the property was recently purchased by the Wyoming Department of
Transportation (WDOT) to facilitate installation of the Harney Street
Overpass in the coming year. LRCD is currently working with the
city to establish an institutional control for the northern portion of the
property to ensure that area residents are protected. The partnership
between Wyoming, EPA, LRCD, WDOT and the City of Laramie
created an amazing opportunity for the LRCD to reuse a space that
had long been an eyesore and hazard. Post-cleanup development
options include construction of a new office building, an arboretum,
and raised gardens to benefit the community.
REGION 9
CALIFORNIA- Since 2000, the California Department of Toxic
Substances Control (DTSC) and U.S. EPA have worked together
to provide coordinated support for the environmental assessment
of an abandoned former lumber mill in the City of Mt. Shasta. The
former mill, which closed more than 30 years ago, was the city's
largest employer and the area's main economic driver. Over the past
15 years the idea of restoring the property to productive use has
gained traction and become a top priority for the city and surrounding
community. In 2015, DTSC used Section 128(a) Response Program
funding to conduct an environmental assessment at the property. The
city's cleanup of the former mill site, which includes excavation and
offsite transportation of contaminated soil, is expected to be complete
by fall 2016. The property will be redeveloped into a recreational
vehicle park, a hotel center, and office and residential space. In
addition, a portion of the site is being considered by the city for a
solar array to provide renewable energy.
Artist rendering of the planned redevelopment at the former lumber mill.
REGION 10
YAKUTAT TLINGIT TRIBE (YTT) - The YTT has overseen the
restoration of contaminated properties affecting tribal resources
since they started receiving Section 128(a) funding in 2008. Many of
the properties in the tribe's brownfields inventory impact the Ankau
Saltchucks, a rich, biologically diverse area that is a prime resource
for the tribe's diet. Unusual patterns of health concerns within the
community in the 1990s raised the possibility of exposure to dioxins
in the Saltchucks. Elevated dioxin levels were traced to abandoned
military and dump sites from the 1940s-1970s scattered throughout
the peninsula. In response, YTT conducted multiple studies to better
understand the nature and extent of dioxin contamination impacting
the Saltchucks. The data were compiled and mapped using GIS to
determine areas of contamination and identify data gaps. YTT has
been working with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR) on the likelihood of health impacts as revealed
by the data collected. The tribe also works with an environmental
consulting and civil engineering firm specializing in habitat
restoration, site cleanup, and waste management, ensuring that the
tribe addresses important concerns today while leaving a positive
legacy for its future.
United States
Environmental Protection
CERCLA Section I28(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding
January/February/March 2016
EPA-560-F-I6-006
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