WBWire Fall 2010


WBWire
IN THIS ISSUE:
RLF Filling a Critical	|
Niche in the West
Note From the Editors	|
Open Minds on an Open	2
Plain
Partnership Hits the	2
Ground Running
Grant Application Tools	3
& Tips
Editors' Suggestion	4
Contact Us	4
Calendar	4
"Brownfields projects
show that the right
thing to do for our
health and our envi-
ronment is also the
right thing to do for
our economy."
- EPA Administrator
Lisa P. Jackson
v>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
-Ag;ency
CONNECTING WESTERN BROWNFIELDS EFFORTS AND STAKEHOLDERS
U.S. EPA REGIONS 8, 9 & 10
FALL 20 10
Brownfields Revolving Loan Funds Fill a Critical Niche in the West
The Brownfields Revolving Loan
Fund (RLF) has become one of
the most effective financial tools
for cleaning up and returning
contaminated properties to pro-
ductive use. Across the west,
communities large and small have
responded to a strong demand
for cleanup dollars by developing
a RLF. In fact, some of the na-
tion's most successful loan funds
operate in the west, resulting in
over $1.4 billion leveraged to-
ward cleanup and redevelopment
and 3,083 jobs created over the
past decade. Collectively, RLFs
across Regions 8, 9 and 10 have
closed on 41 loans, resulting in
308 acres made ready for rede-
velopment. A large portion of
these loans have been paid back
and have already "revolved" into
new cleanup loans. For more
information, see RLF in Numbers
on page 3.
EPA's RLF program has filled a
critical niche in the redevelop-
The cleanup of lead contaminated
soils at the 178 Townsend property
(above) is being facilitated by an
RLF loan. On the right is an archi-
tectural rendering of the proposed
redevelopment, the first residential
building in San Francisco to apply
for LEED Gold Certification.
ment process. Traditional lenders
and investors can be leery about
investing in projects that have an
environmental component.
Cleanup loans can overcome/allay
such fears by offering low-interest
rates and flexible repayment
terms. This capital can also make
the difference in a project moving
WBWire: A Note from the Editors
The Staff of Regions 8, 9 and 10
Horace Greeley, a 19th Century
editor of the New York Tribune
called it the "Great West." He
urged its settlement saying, "...
build up a home and fortune."
Today, millions of us call the
"Great West" home and for us
this includes Alaska and the Pa-
cific Islands. We live in cities and
small towns, on its coasts, on
tribal lands and in vast open
spaces. We share its bounty as
well as its legacy from mining,
milling, and industrialization that
has contaminated our land and
water.
At the end of the first decade of
the 21st Century, we're creating a
new, sustainable future in the
West. We are restoring land and
meeting the diverse challenges
that brownfields create.
We at EPA want to create a new
way to inform, support and con-
nect our partners and stakeholders.
Western Brownfields Workshops
(WBW) have brought us together
in communities across the west.
We have shared and learned to-
gether.
Beyond connecting practitioners
- We recognize these are exciting
times with new brownfields re-
sources coming on-line rapidly (see
p.2: EPA-HUD-DOT) and tech-
niques and technologies evolving
quickly. While the prospects for
sustainable redevelopment have
never been brighter, communities
face ongoing challenges in the face
of a slow recovery from the cur-
rent global recession. For these
reasons, we are exploring new
ways to keep the Western Brown-
from ideas and blueprints, to a
reality. Feedback from various RLF
projects indicate that these re-
sources are indispensible for pri-
vate developers and local govern-
ments, especially at the early stages
of a project when cash flow is low.
The California Department of
Toxic Substances Control recently
closed on a $1.25 million low-
interest loan that will fund excava-
tion of lead-contaminated soil from
the 178 Townsend Street property
in San Francisco. The project is
situated in the center of the South
Beach neighborhood, close to
AT&T Park, home of the San Fran-
cisco Giants. _
Continued on page 3
fields community connected be-
yond the annual WBW.
In the coming months we will
examine how best to communicate
with and connect practitioners.
This WBWire newsletter is a
"pilot." We want it to begin and
sustain a conversation. And we
want to hear from you. How can
we make a newsletter, our web-
sites, (and other tools) useful re-
sources for your work and your
community? Be sure to give us
your feedback through the WBW
evaluation form, in the halls of the
WBW, or by direct contact after-
wards.
Thanks for all the work you do to
revitalize the communities of the
"Great West".

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P A G
The Shoshone-Bannock
Tribes abated this former
railroad station (below)
and plan to reuse the
structure (above) for a
new veteran's center.
Open Minds on an Open Plain:
Capturing the Success of a Brownfields Tribal
In SE Idaho, the Shoshone-
Bannock Tribes have a clean
wind at their backs when it
comes to Brownfields reclama-
tion. Historical pollution from
agriculture, industry and illegal
dumping, has left many sites on
this 815 square mile reserva-
tion with asbestos, lead and
pesticide contamination. Now,
with over $2.1 million in EPA
Tribal Response grants re-
ceived since 2005, they are
finally being dealt with. Twenty
one Phase I site assessments,
three Phase II site assessments
and three site cleanups have
been conducted, while expand-
ing the tribe's Environmental
Waste Management Program
(EWMP).
After casting a wide net in
assessing sites, the tribe is now
demonstrating creativity in
limited brownfields redevelop-
ment. A former railroad sta-
tion is slated to become the
tribal veteran's center, and
plans are underway to turn an
old hospital into an environ-
mental education center, in
partnership with Idaho State
University. Some sites have
undergone ecological restora-
tion, and three are being stud-
ied as possible locations for a
wind farm or waste-to-energy
plant.
Reflecting on these accom-
plishments, Kelly Wright,
EWMP Program Manager, says,
"Working with the EPA has
significantly improved the res-
ervation from an environ-
mental standpoint. It has
helped us educate and make
Response Program
partnerships with other
tribes." Likewise, they have
made education the central
part of this program within the
tribe as well. Special
"Brownfields' Days" were held
in each district of the reserva-
tion over the last year, and
brownfields outreach has taken
place through presentations,
newsletters and brochures.
While the response program
has a long way to go from a
redevelopment standpoint,
Wright sees it as a positive
step forward for the tribe. As
he optimistically states,
"Nothing ventured, nothing
gained."
Visit the Shoshone-Bannock
Tribal Brownfields Response
Program website at
http://sbtribes-ewmp.com/.
Did you Know?
HUD will award $ 100m
under its new Sustainable Com-
munities Regional Planning Grant
Program (2010 applications
were due Aug 23, 2010) with
$25 million set aside for com-
munities with a population less
than 500.000.
DOT and HUD will award
up to $75 million in 2010
$35 million in TIGER II Planning
Grants and $40 million in Sus-
tainable Community Challenge
Grants for localized planning
activities that ultimately lead to
projects that integrate transpor-
tation, housing and economic
development.
$360.9m is the combined 201 I
funding request for HUD. DOT
& EPA sustainable communities
efforts (based on the White
House budget request).
Finding suitable environmentally impaired lands to site renewable energy facilities is one significant way EPA and the
states can help the Administration meet its goals of 25 percent renewable energy by 2025 (EPA FY20I I Budget Brief).
EPA-HUD-DOT Partnership Hits the Ground Running
EPA and its partner agencies are
rolling-out numerous initiatives
either related to or centrally fo-
cused on brownfields. These ef-
forts aim to improve urban wa-
ters, encourage area-wide plan-
ning and sustainability and to
reconnect Americans to the out-
doors. The EPA will use this sec-
tion to highlight the implementa-
tion, outcomes, lessons learned
and future opportunities related to
these emerging initiatives.
The Sustainable Communi-
ties Partnership Hits the
Ground Running
With a focus on improving
access to affordable housing,
increasing transportation op-
tions and lowering transporta-
tion costs, while protecting the
environment, the HUD-DOT-
EPA Sustainable Communities
Partnership was announced
June 16, 2009. While all three
agencies are moving forward
with funding projects and stra-
tegic planning, EPA's initial ef-
forts are beginning to bear fruit.
Two of the Agency's five sus-
tainability pilots are located in
the Western United States -
the La Alma/S. Lincoln Park
Redevelopment (Denver) and
the Westside Affordable Hous-
ing Transit-Oriented Develop-
ment in National City, Calif-
and both have brownfields
reuse as central components of
their plan.
EPA funded design charettes
are taking place this fall for the
La Alma/S Lincoln Park pilot
and will focus on energy,
stormwater/green infrastruc-
ture, and transportation. Addi-
tionally, the Denver Housing
Authority received $10 million
in stimulus funding from HUD
for the first phase of the pro-
ject, which will be senior
affordable housing.
The Westside Neighborhood
in National City, California, a
low income neighborhood with
389 polluters per square mile,
has been designated as an envi-
ronmental justice community.
The City will receive assistance
to create and implement a sus-
tainability plan and financial strat-
egy for a 14-acre brownfield it
sees as the catalyst site for
broader neighborhood change.
Existing industrial uses on the
site are adjacent to an elemen-
tary school, homes and a de-
graded tidal creek.
£2%. The Sustainability
Plan will assist the
City in leveraging
resources to clean
up the site, form a
link to an adjacent
light rail station, create open
space, improve the tidal creek,
and create a 201-unit infill afford-
able housing project.
Overall, this partnership will
shape the policies and funding
mechanisms of the three federal
agencies well into the future,
which will benefit brownfields
and community revitalization
efforts for years to come.
For more information visit http://
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/
W B W I R E

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CONNECTING WESTERN BROWNFIELDS EFFORTS AND STAKEHOLDERS PAGE 3
RLFs and subgrants continue to support brownfields cleanup despite economic downturn
Continued From Page I
This project will expand affordable
housing, and create an estimated
100 construction and 60 perma-
nent jobs in the process.
Beyond low-interest loans, RLFs
in the west also provide grant
funds to public and non-profit
organizations to address contami-
nation and return properties to
productive use. Subgrants can be a
critical piece of a project's overall
financial puzzle, especially at prop-
erties that are otherwise financially
upside down.
Nestled in the heart of the San
Juan Mountains of Colorado, San
Juan County (pop. 558) recently
completed the cleanup of a prop-
erty that will soon house the Anvil
Mountain Neighborhood. Redevel-
opment of the 13-acre former
smelter site will provide much
needed affordable, and energy
efficient, housing for the Town of
Silverton, located at 9,308 feet. A
$200,000 subgrant, issued by the
CO Coalition, provided the funds
to complete the cleanup in 2010
after costs exceeded the initial
project budget.
While western communities have
generated numerous RLF suc-
cesses, there have also been signifi-
cant challenges. Even with cleanup
funds available, developers often
have trouble securing financing for
vertical construction.
This has limited the market for
new redevelopment efforts and led
to significant delays for some exist-
ing projects, especially during the
recent economic downturn. In
response, RLF administrators have




Cleanup of the former Martha Rose
Walsh Smelter is making way for the
Anvil Mountain Community. A sub-
grant from the State of Colorado's
RLF was critical in finishing the
cleanup of the former smelter.
A typical home designed to maintain
the historical character of Silverton,
Colorado. Anvil Mountain Neighbor-
hood home construction is scheduled
to begin in Fall 2010.
done an exceptional job marketing
RLF products and fostering relation-
ships with potential borrowers and
subgrantees. Loans and subgrants
have continued, and as the economy
rebounds, properties that have been
restored during these lean years will
be well-positioned for redevelop-
ment.
In recent years, EPA has signifi-
cantly increased the level of supple-
mental funds made available to
existing RLF grant recipients. This
annual infusion has been critical in
replenishing loan funds and ensuring
liquidity. These resources have
substantially increased the overall
amount of funds available, and are
allowing RLF administrators to
move forward with more and larger
loans and subgrants without fear of
fund depletion and program stagna-
tion. EPA has also made changes to
several RLF requirements, including
rules associated with grant close-
out, as well as allowing for greater
flexibility in subgranting.
EPA will continue to evaluate
opportunities to improve and in-
crease the flexibility of the RLF
program to meet the needs of our
communities. As population growth
continues to pressure land develop-
ment in the west, the RLF will re-
main an indispensible funding tool
for cleanup and redevelopment
projects. For more information on
existing RLFs or to learn about
developing an RLF in your commu-
nity visit http://www.epa.gov/
brownfields/rlflst.htm.
To read more about the projects
highlighted in this story go to:
http://www.epa.gov/region8/
land_waste/bfhome/
SanJuanBrownfieldsSuccess
StoryApr2Q I O.pdf
http://www.sanjuandevelopment.org/
housing.htm
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/SiteCleanup/
Brownfields/Loans Grants.cfm
If fIt»t
I III
Martha Rose Walsh Smelter
(circa 1890s)
Photo Courtesy of the San
Juan Historical Society
RLF in Numbers;
Program Results for
Regions 8, 9 and 10
•	24 active loan
funds
•	41 loans issued
•	22 subgrants
issued
•	36 cleanups
completed
•	$1.4 billion
leveraged
•	3,083 jobs
leveraged
EPA Brownfields Grant Application Tools & Tips
This year's grant guidelines have
largely remained the same for EPA's
brownfields assessment, revolving
loan fund and cleanup grants. How-
ever, this year brings substantial
changes for those applying for a job
training grant. To find out more go
to http://epa.gov/brownfieilds/
job.htm.
The following six tips are applica-
ble to applicants for any of EPA's
competitive brownfields grants.
• Be thorough. Read the guide-
lines carefully and address all re-
quired criteria and sub-criteria in the
listed order. This makes it easier for
reviewers to find information and
assign points.
•	Assume that your reviewer
knows nothing about your commu-
nity, its social and economic history,
or its present state.
•	Clearly cite the sources of all
information and data.
•	Use active, not passive, lan-
guage throughout (e.g. "we are
working on..." and "we will com-
mit").
•	Provide examples of past
achievements to demonstrate a
real commitment behind stated
goals.
•	Contact partners and the
state early to get commitments,
letters of support and input.
For additional assistance in writ-
ing a successful brownfields grant
Continued on page 4
Two Easy Grant Tips
1.	Follow all page limits
2.	Follow the format
guidelines of I-inch
margins, 12-point font, no
binders, no color, no
pictures and no maps.
See additional suggestions
on page 4

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EPA Brownfields Grant Application Tools & Tips
Continued From Page 3
application, we recommend the
following tools:
•	The TABEZ tool was created to
provide technical assistance spe-
cifically for EPA's brownfields
grant applicants. Access this tool
online at http://www.tabez.org.
•	For a sustainable management
approach and revitalization tool,
go to SmartE at http://
www.smarte.org
• Visit the Region 10 website (see
map below) to view a tool that
will be coming out alongside the
revised fiscal year 201 I grant
guidelines. This tool will guide
you through the ranking criteria,
provide tips from reviewers as
well as provide examples of
successful applications. This
article is a snapshot of one com-
ponent of this tool.
Editors' Suggestion
Continuing Conversations: The State of Brownfields in the West
EPA Region 10 supported an online newsletter that
was managed by the Oregon Department of Environ-
mental Quality. In the final issue of Brownfields Update
for the Pacific Northwest, three directors of state brown-
fields programs weighed in with observations and sug-
gestions about the future of brownfields. We encour-
age our readers to consider those comments, and to
continue the conversation with us in Missoula at the
Western Brownfields Workshop. Available online at
http://www.nwbrownfields-update.com/20 I 0/07/
commentators-consider-the-futu re-of-brownfields/

¦ Q \ For More Information, Visit Yonr Region's Brownfields Website
"( PRO^
Region 8
http://www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
800-227-8917
Region 9
http://www.epa.gov/region9/brownfields
866-378-9378
Region 10
http://y0semite.epa.g0v/R I O/CLEANUP.NSF/sites/BF
800-424-4372
Q IL IN
KS	MO c iArr'\{y
MS AL
0 -
Fall-Winter 2010 Calendar
September 14-16 - Western Brownfields Workshop in Missoula, MT—http://www.epa.gov/region8/land_waste/bfhome/wbw.html
September - EPA announcement of 2010 Area-Wide Planning Pilot Communities
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/areawide_grants.htm
October 6-7—Washington Brownfields Conference in Tacoma, WA—http://www.nebc.org/Events.aspx
October 13 - EPA Region 8 Job Training webinar for potential applicants
http://www.epa.gov/region8/land_waste/bfhome/bfhome.html
October - Request for Proposals issued for FY I I EPA Job Training Program—http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/job.htm
October 15 - EPA submission deadline for FY I I Assessment, RLF & Cleanup grant proposals
http://epa.gov/brownfields/grant_info/index.htm
October 20—Center for Creative Land Recycling Workshop in Los Angeles, CA—http://www.cclr.org/news
November 15-16 - Colorado Brownfields Conference in Golden, CO—http://www.coloradobrownfieldsfoundation.org/
November 17—National Brownfields Association Strategic Redevelopment of Urban Centers Forum in San Diego, CA
http://www.brownfieldassociation.org/EducationT raining/Default.aspx
December—National EPA Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Conference in San Diego, CA
Looking ahead...
February 3-5 - New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Charlotte, NC—http://www.newpartners.org/
April 3-5 - 201 I - National Brownfields Conference in Philadelphia, PA—http://www.brownfields201 I .org/en/home

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