Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
From Brownfields to Super Bowl Theme Park in Jacksonville, FL
Spring 2005: Super Bowl XXXIX got off to a rousing start for participants in Jacksonville's NFL
Experience. The interactive theme park, offering games, displays and entertainment, among its many
attractions, was barely recognizable as the site of the former Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA)
Southside Generating Station.
Forty-two acres on the south bank of the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville were transformed
into a scenic playground. Until recently, the site was home to the JEA Southside Generating Station
(SGS), a power-generating facility producing electrical power for Jacksonville residents since the 1950s.
With concurrence of the U.S. EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP),
the facility was designated a state brownfields area by the City of Jacksonville in April 2001. Subject to
closure, post-closure and corrective action requirements under the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA), a decision was
made by JEA to voluntarily decommission the plant in October 2001.
Environmental closure of the SGS site was performed jointly under RCRA and the Brownfields
Redevelopment Program administered by the FDEP. Following the execution of a Brownfields Site
Rehabilitation Agreement, which incorporate an existing Consent Agreement, between JEA and the
State of Florida and with EPA Region 4 oversight, an intensive and often challenging cleanup process
began. This one-of-a-kind agreement for the RCRA site allowed JEA to participate in the economic
incentives under the Brownfields Redevelopment Program,
Pollutants on the site included lead, arsenic and PCBs. Oil that once fueled the generator had seeped
as much as 10 feet into the ground. The old power plant was imploded and approximately 263,270
tons of soil was hauled off to hazardous waste landfills. Another 23,500 tons containing chemically
treated lead were hauled to a conventional landfill. The entire site has been covered with 2.5 feet of
imported backfill that meets residential soil cleanup criteria as required by the FDEP.
Excavation also revealed several artesian wells that had to be capped to protect groundwater. New
shallow and deep aquifer groundwater wells were installed and damaged ones replaced.
Approximately $25 million were spent on demolition, disposal, cleanup and other onsite environmental
activities.
The Jacksonville site has been described as one of the most scenic venues in the NFL Experience's 14-
year history. Visitors to the 850,000 sq. ft. temporary village experienced much more than the
scenery. More than 50 interactive games helped fans gear up for the big event. Participatory activities
afforded them opportunities to pass, punt and kick with the pros. For women, there were
instructional seminars explaining the rules of the game and a clinic for cheerleaders interested in
honing their kicking skills.

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There were abundant activities for younger fans as well. Some 2,000 underprivileged fifth graders from
18 schools across Jacksonville participated in "Kids Day." Activities ranged from face painting to
getting photographed for a souvenir ESPN Magazine cover to romping on the field with such NFL
luminaries as former Jacksonville Jaguar Keenan McCardell and the Washington Redskins' Patrick
Ramsey.
The NFL Experience is a charitable endeavor produced by the National Football League. The
interactive theme park, set up annually in the Super Bowl host city, has attracted more than two
million visitors.
An admission fee of $15 for adults and $10 for children included all games and attractions. This year's
proceeds were earmarked for support of the Youth Education Center in Jacksonville.
Cleanup of JEA Park is just one part of a larger brownfields initiative to revitalize Jacksonville's
downtown and other urban areas.
Contact:
Roger Register
Brownfields Liaison
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
roger.register@dep.state.fl.us

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
A Brownfields Toolkit
From Health Risk to Health Services Provider in Clearwater, FL
The North Greenwood neighborhood sits less than a mile north of downtown Clearwater, Florida.
The area is an African-American enclave whose history reaches back to the earliest years of the 20th
century. The neighborhood began to decline in the 1960s. But beginning in the late 1980s and
continuing through the 1990s, led by civic and community leaders and supported by the City of
Clearwater, the neighborhood began to turn itself around. In 1995, a retired nurse and neighborhood
resident founded the North Greenwood Health Resource
Center, at the time consisting of two refurbished
apartments. In 2003, construction began on the new North
Greenwood Health Resource center complex, on the site
of a former gas station and garage that had been long
vacant.
The brownfield property was purchased by the City of
Clearwater with state brownfields funds. The Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Clearwater entered into a Southwest District
Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement (BRSA) and worked cooperatively to see the project
through its remediation process. The City carried out site assessments, which found excessively
contaminated soil. A waste oil underground storage tank (UST), a 4000-gallon UST, a 2000-gallon
gasoline UST, 500-gallon kerosene UST and a hydraulic lift were excavated and removed in March
1999. A concrete underground grease trap was also found during excavation. More than 400 tons of
petroleum-contaminated soil were removed and transported to a thermal treatment facility.
As part of the City's environmental justice plan, representatives of North Greenwood participated in
redevelopment planning and voted unanimously for the city to lease the property to the nonprofit
clinic. On March 18, 2000, ground was broken for the Greenwood Community Health Resource
Center. Now, the North Greenwood neighborhood has a new health facility offering immunizations,
physicals, tests and screenings, flu shots, and counseling to residents of the neighborhood.
This project shows how public support of basic services can be done in a way which also allows
communities to meet important brownfield cleanup and revitalization objectives. In North Greenwood,
it was a community voice and visionary who recommended that City officials lease the former gas
station site to the Greenwood Community Health Resource Center for $1 a year for 30 years. The
State of Florida provided $200,000 to help pay for the cleanup of underground storage tanks and
removal of contaminated soil. Another $320,000 in state funds paid for construction of the new facility.
The State also provides support for the clinic's operating costs.
In short, the Greenwood Community Health Center is a model clinic designed to assist low income
residents in the Clearwater area in obtaining adequate health care screenings and education. It is a vital

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example of how revitalization of a former brownfields can enhance a community in a way that extends
far beyond economic value.
Contact:
Diane Hufford
City of Clearwater
727-562-4054

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Building a Soccer Field of Dreams on a Landfill in Wilmington, NC
The Cape Fear Youth Soccer Association (CFYSA) in Wilmington, North Carolina recently sought
room to build soccer fields to accommodate the community's surging interest in youth soccer. Their
search ended with the purchase of a former landfill that will become a regional soccer park.
Over the last decade, CFYSA saw participation increase from 800 kids on 46 teams to 4,000 kids on
more than 200 teams. As a result, adequate field space became a major issue. Teams play on fields
spread throughout Hanover County that were shared with schools and the parks and recreation
department. CFYSA had to compete for field space with other worthwhile uses and the fields were
often overused and in disrepair.
Due to the scarcity of remaining large tracts of open space suitable for athletic fields in Hanover
County, land prices were exorbitant and sites were not centrally located. The least expensive tract was
more than $5,000 per acre and was located in the northern end of the County. However, CFYSA
learned of the availability of the 65 acre former Flemington Landfill site through the North Carolina
Brownfields program. The site had been idle for twenty years, had caused some contamination of the
groundwater, and was a significant community eyesore. Now complete, the Wyandotte Shores Golf
Course property includes a park with a riverfront walkway and observation decks, picnic areas, jogging
trails, and a rowing club.
The site was significantly cheaper than other available properties ($400 per acre). It is ideally located
near the City of Wilmington's riverfront with easy access to major transportation corridors, and,
unlike much of the land in the area, 100 percent was usable because there are no wetlands on site.
When CFYSA first considered the Flemington site, it had the typical concerns and reservations about
contamination of the soil. However, significant tests of the soil conducted over the years by state and
local agencies, and the North Carolina Brownfields program alleviated their concerns. In addition, the
CFYSA has worked closely with the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources to
develop a plan to ensure that any landfill contaminants are capped and isolated so they pose no danger
to human health or the groundwater.
When fully developed, the Cape Fear Soccerplex will contain 14 competition fields, an
office/conference building for the CFYSA, a concession building, maintenance facility, first aid facility,
picnic shelters, playgrounds, parking for 800 vehicles, and a 1.5 mile jogging trail. The Soccerplex will
host tournaments throughout the year and local officials anticipate a $4-7 million positive impact on
the local economy per tournament.
State Representative Danny McComas, the primary sponsor of the state of North Carolina's
Brownfields legislation said, "This shows what can happen when common-sense legislation is enacted.
A Brownfields Toolkit

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This project is a result of a collaborative effort between environmentalists, regulatory authorities and
business." In other words, this project was a big score, and a win-win for all involved.
Construction began in 2005 and CFYSA hopes play will begin in 2006.
Contact:
Frank Braxton
Landscape Architect
910-254 9333
Jim Braswell
Cape Fear Youth Soccer Association
910-392-0306

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Louisville, KY Reclaims its Riverfront
2002 Phoenix Awards Winner
Thirty years ago, Louisville's waterfront was notoriously blighted. The proliferation of junk and scrap
yards along the Ohio River earned it the unflattering moniker, "Junk City," and its main claim to fame
was that it was used for the car-crushing scene in the James Bond movie "Goldfinger." The area was
also cut off from the rest of the downtown by a six lane elevated highway. In addition to the visual
blight, both the soil and groundwater in the area were polluted with a vast array of contaminants.
In 1990, the Louisville community launched a visioning process to help chart a course for the City's
future. The community recommended that the city break out of the mold of a 9-to-5 city, and instead
make Louisville a 24-hour city where people could work, play, and live. To accomplish this goal, the
community came up with a Master Plan that focused on the City's many advantages, and one of the
highest priorities was to reclaim the waterfront. Soon after, a public/private partnership launched an
effort to begin reclaiming the waterfront beginning with the cleanup of a 72-acre parcel. Louisville
Slugger Field, a minor league baseball stadium, and a new 55 acre urban park, aptly named Waterfront
Park, were chosen as the new uses for the area.
The area was marred by a range of contaminants left behind from more than 150 years of industrial
uses. The most seriously contaminated soils were removed from the area and, where possible, lightly
contaminated spots were contained or subjected to a pump-and-treat-process with long-term
monitoring to ensure the natural attenuation of the contaminants.
The Waterfront Park was dedicated in 1999 and today over 1.25 million
people visit each year for concerts, fireworks, festivals, and genera!
recreational uses. The park features a beautiful great lawn for games and
concerts, a festival plaza for special events, an extremely popular children's
play area, and a sculpted linear park with picnic areas, groves of trees,
walking and jogging paths, a boat docking area, and breathtaking views up and
down the Ohio River.
tit 18 V

Before
Louisville Slugger Stadium opened in 2000 as the home to the Cincinnati
Reds' Triple A minor league affiliate, the Louisville Riverbats. The stadium
is incorporated into a historic rail freight depot that dates back to the
1800s and serves as the stadium's entrance. The depot houses retail and
restaurant space. The stadium seats 13,000 and attracted 668,000 visitors
in its first two years of operation. Together these waterfront
redevelopment projects have generated millions of dollars in private
investment, including the rehabilitation of abandoned or under-utilized
buildings, the creation of new waterfront housing opportunities, and new
office space.

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Louisville and the Louisville Waterfront Redevelopment Commission have completed work on Phase II
of the Waterfront Park. This second phase added approximately 35 acres to the park, including
another, much larger, children's play area, a small cafe, a rowing facility for school and community
rowing groups, and an amphitheater. A pedestrian connection to Southern Indiana across the old Big
Four railroad bridge is planned for Phase III.
Louisville's waterfront project won the 2002 Phoenix Award Grand
Prize for Excellence in Brownfield Development and serves as a
model for successful waterfront brownfields revitalization. More
importantly, the city has a new, welcoming face and has shaken the
"Junk City" image.
Contact:
Bonnie Biemer
Louisville Development Authority
502-574-4140
bbiemer@louky.org
After

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
National Park Service — Creating an Underwater Brownfields Experience in
Charleston, SC
On Charleston's waterfront, a 1.5 acre contaminated site that was formerly owned by the National
Park Service has been redeveloped as the home for the 69,000 square foot South Carolina Aquarium.
The aquarium site is within the 18 acre Calhoun Park Area
that runs along the Cooper River. The property consisted
primarily of mudflats that were filled in by the Navy to provide
additional space to work on small boats during World Wars I
and II, but then sat idle for nearly 50 years. Over that time,
the site was impacted by uses on surrounding properties. A
manufactured gas plant operated on an adjacent site, which
from 1855 to 1910 also housed a coal gasification plant. Over
the years a saw mill, chemical company, creosoting plant, paint
manufacturer, fuel company, and retailer of coal, wood, and coke all operated near the site. The
National Park Service obtained the site from the Department of Defense in 1987.
In 1984, Mayor Joseph Riley announced plans for an $8 million, 30,000 square foot aquarium in
downtown Charleston. However, it was determined that the proposed downtown location for the
aquarium would have exacerbated an already congested traffic area and an alternative site was sought.
After an extensive search, the brownfield site owned by the National Park Service was chosen for its
idea! location near downtown and along the waterfront. To prepare the site for redevelopment, the
City began excavation to improve the site's drainage. In 1991, the excavation of the site revealed
significant creosote contamination. EPA investigated the site and designated it a Superfund Accelerated
Cleanup Model (SACM) site, which meant that the site would be treated as if it were on the National
Priorities List (NPL) of federal Superfund sites. As a result of this determination, the National Park
Service was concerned with the liability issues associated with the property and reluctant to lease the
property to the City.
To overcome these barriers, the City worked with EPA, the South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control, the National Park Service, and other federal agencies to negotiate an effective
plan for assessment, cleanup and redevelopment. As a result of those discussions, the Park Service
agreed to give the City a 50-year lease on the property. In all, it took eight years to assess the site, two
years to implement the cleanup plan, and four years to build the project. The aquarium finally opened
in May of 2000, more than 16 years from the date it was originally proposed.
The aquarium has been a tremendous asset to the community, employing a staff of I 10 and 450
volunteers. From May 2000 to May 2002, the aquarium had 1.3 million visitors and in its first seven
months brought in $8.8 million. The redevelopment has also spurred brownfield revitalization at

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neighboring sites along the river. However, the aquarium has many other benefits beyond its significant
economic impact. It serves as an educational and environmental resource center with exhibits on the
five major aquatic ecosystems in South Carolina. The aquarium has established an education program
that allows elementary and secondary school students to attend the aquarium for free, provided they
participate in programmed lessons prior to and after their visit. In 2002, the aquarium also received a
Phoenix Award for community impact.
According to Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, "We now have an important state asset in the South
Carolina Aquarium, a valuable environmental tool to educate our citizens about the importance of our
regional environment, and another opportunity for waters edge access for our residents and visitors."
Contacts:
Geona Shaw Johnson
City of Charleston
843-724-3766
johnsong@ci.Charleston.sc.us
Karen Sprayberry
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
803-896-4252
SPRAYBKJ@dhec.sc.gov

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
A Brownfields Toolkit
Recycling Land for Recycling's Sake Spartanburg, SC
When Carolina Recycling Group, LLC (CRG) opened its Nazareth Church Road plant in 1997, it
became the first company in South Carolina to successfully return a site to productive use under the
State's brownfield program.
The Batchelder Blasius plant first began aluminum recycling and smelting operations in 1966. When it
filed for bankruptcy in 1990, this facility left behind mounds of slag and ash, more than 600 drums of
used oil, seven unclosed underground storage tanks, and 27 above ground tanks containing more than
40,000 gallons of chemical waste and processed oil. With no assets to maintain the property, the
Batchelder Blasius Company abandoned the maintenance of the 5-acre landfill that it had used to
dispose of magnesium chloride and slag waste (a smelting byproduct). A Site Screening Investigation by
the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in the following months
also detected elevated levels of ethyl benzene and chloromethane derivatives and heavy metals in
groundwater and soil samples.
Despite the extensive contamination, CRG expressed interest in purchasing the 42-acre abandoned
property. Since it had been home to a metal processing facility for 24 years, the site offered the
infrastructure necessary to accommodate CRG's industrial needs. The property was strategically
located near interstates and sat directly on a main CSX rail line. The old Batchelder Blasius furnace
building was ideal for protecting scrap from the rain. Four acres of concrete along with a double lined
collection system attached to an oil water separator were already in place.
In 1996, CRG became the first party to negotiate an agreement through South Carolina's Voluntary
Cleanup Program (VCP). This arrangement protected CRG from being held liable for the
contamination that existed at the site at the time of purchase. In exchange for this safeguard, CRG
agreed to contribute to the cleanup of the contaminated property. Among the requirements outlined
in the VCP contract were: (I) the maintenance of the landfill cap and replacement of soil and vegetative
cover in needed areas; (2) the closing of seven underground storage tanks (USTs) in accordance with
DHEC UST regulations; (3) the removal and proper disposal of the oil from an abandoned oil tanker;
and (4) the preparation and implementation of a groundwater sampling plan that will monitor levels of
contamination in existing and new monitoring wells.
The Carolina Recycling Group spent approximately $1.5 million to assess, remediate, and renovate the
property. The corporation received assistance from South Carolina DHEC, Carolina First Bank, the
Southeastern Regulatory Resolution Alliance-a Department of Energy Program, Spartanburg County,
and the Southeastern Environmental Resource Alliance. Thanks to these strong partnerships, CRG
finished the bulk of the cleanup and redevelopment in 1997, more than a year ahead of schedule.
CRG now enjoys the benefits of a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly metal processing and
recycling facility. Turnings and other oily scrap are completely under roof. Oil and other liquids are

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collected by a double lined collection system in the floor of the building, which is attached to an oil
water separator and treatment system. All liquids entering this system are recycled as fuel or primary
wash water for equipment. More than four acres of concrete and 80,000 square feet under roof, allows
for the storage and processing of material without coming into contact with the soil. In 2000, CRG
received a prestigious Phoenix Award for its innovative approach to brownfield redevelopment.
Since the remediation, the CRG's annual sales have grown from $15 million to approximately $93
million in 2003. The company has added seven additional operating locations throughout the Southeast
and a total of 235 employees. The operations recycled more than 478,929 gross tons of ferrous and
nonferrous metals in 2003. Because of the success of the Spartanburg project, CRG decided in 2002 to
invest more than $10.5 million in new processes on the brownfield site. This success has encouraged
others to consider Brownfield redevelopment. Since working with CRG, the South Carolina DHEC has
entered into 64 additional Voluntary Cleanup Contracts with non-responsible parties. These
agreements will help preserve South Carolina's open space and bring economic vitality back to urban
areas.
Contact:
Karen Sprayberry
Division of Site Assessment and Remediation
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
803-896-4252
spraybkj@dhec.sc.gov

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
A Brownfields Toolkit
Regional Coalition Seeks to Channel New Development to Urban
Corridor in Southeast Florida
The Eastward Ho! Brownfields Partnership is a regional collaboration that aims to revitalize Southeast
Florida's historic urban areas in an effort to lessen development pressure and urban sprawl in
environmentally sensitive lands to the west of the Interstate 95 corridor which are critical to the
Everglades ecosystem and the region's water supply. Focused on reducing market disincentives to infill
development, promoting smart growth, and bringing economic activity back to neglected areas, this
partnership is targeting the approximately 2,100 brownfields sites that dot the urban landscape. The
remediation and sustainable reuse of these sites will assist in the protection and restoration of the
Everglades' fragile ecosystem and could result in more than $6 billion in savings for the region over the
next 25 years.
Bringing together local, state, regional, and federal agencies with private
sector, non-profit and community organizations, Eastward Ho! targets a
I 15-mile coastal strip of Southeastern Florida. This corridor includes
forty percent (5.2 million) of Florida's total population. It runs through
Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach counties and includes the major
downtowns of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. While
the entire region is not characterized by poverty, it contains pockets of
some of the most severe poverty in the country.
More than 2 million people are expected to settle in the Eastward Ho! corridor over the next 15 to 20
years. This projected influx poses a significant threat to the nearby Everglades, which are rapidly
shrinking as low density development continues to push westward. Such sprawling, automobile-
dependent growth comes at a cost to the local economy, in addition to the environment. The state will
face billion-dollar roadway projects in order to accommodate the population increase.
In an effort to accommodate future population growth without further compromising or degrading the
environment and economic sustainability of the region, the Eastward Ho! initiative focuses on funneling
people back into the urban areas of Southeast Florida. The partnership is realizing this goal by
providing technical assistance and funding to local governments, conducting research, undertaking
demonstration projects, providing information to the public, and leading community workshops.
A number of successful community redevelopment efforts have received assistance from the Eastward
Ho! partnership. The Wynwood Brownfield Project is one such endeavor that has brought new life to
Miami's blighted Wynwood neighborhood. Originally home to a laundry and dry cleaning facility, this
five-acre property had significant legal and environmental problems. It had been the target of illegal
dumping of a number of drums containing unknown material. Assessment of the site found detectable
levels of petroleum compounds and groundwater contaminated with "bunker C" fuel oil. In addition to
the environmental challenges, the property was tied up in a Nevada bankruptcy court, there was an IRS

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lien against it, several years of back taxes were owed, and a creditor had a judgment lien in excess of
$1 million.
The successful revitalization of the Wynwood site is primarily a result of a strong partnership between
government, private business, and the community. In 1996, the City of Miami received an EPA grant to
assist in the redevelopment of the brownfield. Three years later the city acquired a Florida brownfields
grant to assist with the assessment and remediation efforts. To resolve the legal and technical hurdles
associated with the property and make the redevelopment financially feasible, Miami collaborated with
the Eastward Ho! Brownfields Partnership, Atwater Capital Group, Congresswoman Carrie Meek, the
Miami Brownfields Task Force, Miami Department of Real Estate & Economic Development, Miami-
Dade County Oversight Committee, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Miami-
Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management.
Atwater acquired the site through bankruptcy court and signed the first "Brownfields Site
Rehabilitation Agreement" under the Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Act. Since the completion of
the remediation, one parcel of the property has become a new MetroMix cement plant, providing 40
much-needed jobs for the neighborhood. The rest of the site has been sold to British developers and is
slated to become live/work artist studios.
Contact:
Terry Manning
South Florida Regional Planning Council
954-985-4416
terryman@sfrpc.com

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Alabama's Five Mile Creek Greenway Partnership:
Communities Coalesce in Cleanup Effort
A historic alliance of Jefferson County and the cities along Alabama's Five Mile Creek set in motion an
ambitious plan to clean up and revitalize a waterway that once had the reputation of being "the most
polluted stream" in the state. In fact, local residents named it "Creosote Creek" because of the smell
of chemicals emanating from the Black Warrior River tributary. A master plan for the waterway
envisions a 25-mile greenway along the creek's banks suitable for biking, hiking, fishing and canoeing
that will serve as a magnet for ecotourism, as well as new capital investments in adjacent communities.
Five Mile Creek is one of the few streams in the state not suitable for fishing and swimming, under
federal guidelines. The presence of creosote, a brownish oily liquid consisting chiefly of aromatic
hydrocarbons produced by the distillation of coal tar, has been a major impediment to the
revitalization of Five Mile Creek. Another redevelopment deterrent is dead fish littering the waterway,
a consequence of cyanide and other industrial toxins routinely discharged into the creek.
Cleaning up the waterway posed some seemingly insurmountable challenges. The first was forging the
necessary alliances to formulate a plan. The cities and towns along Five Mile Creek were considered
unlikely partners for such an alliance. Many of them have higher-than-average poverty and
unemployment rates, and budgets that don't include planners or even park renovations.
To the surprise of many observers, all of the north Jefferson County towns along the creek have
formed a partnership to collaborate on the cleanup and redevelopment of a 25-mile stretch of adjacent
land. The principal facilitator of this partnership was the Black Warrior-Cahaba Rivers Land Trust
organization established to implement the Jefferson County Greenways project, a $30 million land
acquisition program designed to protect riparian corridors along area rivers and streams.
The Land Trust signed a Memorandum of Agreement with six municipalities—Birmingham, Center
Point, Tarrant, Fultondale, Brookside, Graysville—and other organizations to establish a greenway and
parks system along the Five Mile Creek stream. The Land Trust owns approximately 600 acres of land
within this watershed and, with its partners, is pursuing additional acquisitions. Specifically, the
coalition aims to improve and enhance water quality, improve the physical health of area residents, and
provide recreational amenities in economically challenged communities.
An editorial in the Birmingham News applauded the partnership, stating, "These are not towns with
deep pockets in search of a project to eat up a budget surplus. They are small towns whose leaders
simply want to build a legacy for future generations."
Yet, despite the advantage of an attractive location with presumably good redevelopment potential, the
presence or potential presence of hazardous substances or pollutants from industrial and mining
activities and concomitant liability issues have stymied the land acquisition initiative and thereby stalled

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the redevelopment plan. Site assessments are indicated when properties intended for public use may
contain hazardous environmental constituents.
An EPA Brownfields grant provided funding for Phase I and Phase II assessments on selected sites in
the greenway project. Final selections will be made with community input to determine site eligibility,
impact on water quality, economic redevelopment potential, recreational value, and overall
contribution to development of the greenway.
Meanwhile, the Five Mile Creek Greenway Partnership got a head start on its cleanup effort. In the
town of Brookside, the coalition recruited some 200 volunteers and 15 sponsors in the first ever
community cleanup of the waterway. The volunteers pulled 14 tons of debris from the creek, much of
which was deposited by a flood in 2003.
Fortified with a $200,000 EPA Assessment Grant and an enthusiastic corps of volunteers, the
Partnership envisions walkable and livable communities with new job and investment opportunities
along Five Mile Creek in the not too distant future.
"Thanks to those who chose to look beyond its polluted shores, Five Mile Creek has a bright new
future as a community asset," said Wendy Allen Jackson, executive director of the Black Warrior-
Cahaba Rivers Land Trust.
The Five Mile Creek Greenway Partnership was award the "2004 Partnership Project of the Year
Award" from the Board of Directors for the Black Warrior - Cahaba Rivers Land Trust. The project
was recognized for looking beyond the creek's bad reputation and seeking ways to improve water
quality and their communities through the development of a network of parks and greenways along its
shores.
Contact:
Five Mile Creek Greeenway Partnership
www.cawaco.org/fivemilecreek/

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Neighborhood Partnership Brings Revitalization in Spartanburg County, SC
Within Spartanburg County, the Arkwright and Forest Park neighborhoods tell an important story of
deterioration and revitalization. They are adjacent to two Superfund-caliber sites: the former
International Minerals and Chemicals (IMC) fertilizer plant and the Arkwright dump. Also located
nearby are an operating chemical plant, an operating textile manufacturer, concrete production
businesses, and other commercial and industrial facilities. Because of a lack of zoning restrictions and
few land use controls in the area, these sites are near residential housing and, in some cases, share
fence lines with homeowners.
During the 1990s, criminal activity around the IMC site alarmed nearby residents. While investigating
what could be done to combat crime, resident Harold Mitchell discovered that a number of
environmental contamination complaints about the IMC site had been filed with the South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control. This discovery led to neighborhood-wide
discussions of the health risks the site might pose. These neighborhoods had a history of high death
rates from cancer and respiratory diseases, as well as high rates of infant mortality, miscarriages, and
birth defects. As awareness of the hazards grew, so did momentum to get the site cleaned up.
In 1997, Harold Mitchell founded ReGenesis, a community-based
environmental justice organization, to provide leadership and to
represent neighborhood interests in an effort to assess and clean
up the two sites. ReGenesis worked with the EPA and the state
environmental agency to assess levels of contamination, and to
create a plan for cleanup. During these discussions, the idea of
redeveloping Arkwright and Forest Park gained support. As the
focus of ReGenesis evolved, the organization continued to link
other entities from the public and private sectors to the
revitalization efforts. Several public forums in 2000 brought
together stakeholders from federal and state agencies, businesses and industry, universities, and other
interested parties and ultimately led to the formation of the ReGenesis Environmental Justice
Partnership. Two local partners — Spartanburg County and the City of Spartanburg — joined with
ReGenesis to form a core steering committee for the partnership. In addition to Mitchell representing
ReGenesis, Elena Rush, Director of Spartanburg County's Community and Economic Development
Department (CEDD), and Mike Garrett, former city engineer for Spartanburg and current public
works director for Spartanburg County, made up the partnership.
The partnership has brought considerable external funding to the area. It has garnered nearly $7.5
million in grant funds for the community, and in July 2004, the Spartanburg Housing Authority received
more than $20 million in HOPE VI funds which will be used to improve housing in and around the
ReGenesis Project Area. An additional $79 million in leveraged resources has been committed for
construction of 501 new housing units, community and supportive services, and business development
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for small and minority construction businesses. In addition, 267 of the new housing units will be
constructed on one of six recently assessed brownfield sites. In 2002, the City, County, and ReGenesis
signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that details the roles and responsibilities of each entity
in revitalizing Arkwright and Forest Park, also limiting the liability of each organization to the value of
the grants received. Hartmann comments, "Essentially, we wanted to have a formal agreement
institutionalizing the expectations of ReGenesis, the city, and the county."
In the few short years since its formation, the partnership has achieved much, including the
establishment of the ReGenesis Community Health Center (CHC) in 2003. The CHC serves not only
the residents of Arkwright and Forest Park but also the greater Spartanburg community. In the first
three months of its operation, CHC staff reported treating nearly 2,400 patients. Stakeholders in the
partnership also helped secure "weed-and-seed" funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to help
tackle criminal activity in the neighborhoods. Six brownfields sites have been assessed as part of a
major redevelopment plan for the area. Through the ReGenesis partnership, the Spartanburg area
hopes that per capita income can be raised, new jobs created, more investments made in children and
children's education, and housing quality improved. Everyone stands to benefit if the vision of the
ReGenesis partnership can be turned into an economic reality.
Contact:
Elena Rush
Director
Community & Economic Development Department
Spartanburg County
864-595-5300
erush@spartanburgcounty.org
Harold Mitchell
Director
ReGenesis
864-583-2712
regenesisi@bellsouth.net

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Atlanta, GA Turns Dixisteel Into Atlantic Station
2004 Phoenix Award Winner
With a population that has doubled since 1980 and accounts for more than half of Georgia's residents,
the Atlanta metropolitan area is the fastest growing city in the Southeast. Atlanta is also the least dense
urbanized area of the top 15 metropolitan areas in America, characterized by sprawling, low density
patterns of development and traffic congestion that is among the worst in the country. With an
expected increase in population by an additional 2.5 million people in the next 25 years, the sprawling
development patterns must be addressed to ensure a sustainable future.
While the closure of the Atlantic Steel Mill in 1998 after nearly a
century of producing "Dixisteel" cost the area thousands of jobs, it
also presented a tremendous opportunity. The location of the 138-
acre site in midtown Atlanta and in close proximity to major
transportation and transit routes made the site a prime location for
a new smart growth urban development project. Today, the
Atlantic Station community is a model of smart growth that
provides its residents with multiple options to "live, work, and
play" all within walking distance.
1930's Aerial Photo
Jacoby Development Inc. acquired the property in 1997 with hopes to revitalize and redevelop the
138-acre site. AIG Environmental provided cost overrun insurance for the remediation of the land and
in 1999 AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp. became a co-developer and investor. Together,
Jacoby and AIG Global Real Estate proposed a 12-million-square-foot, mixed-use redevelopment plan
for the Midtown Atlanta site. However, the site was separated from the east side of midtown Atlanta
and the MARTA transit line by a major highway. Before the redevelopment move forward the 17th
Street Bridge and interstate ramps had to be built to provide sufficient access to the site via
automobile and public transit. Unfortunately, because Atlanta was out of compliance with federal
transportation conformity requirements, the state was not allowed to use federal funds to add to its
highway system nor construct transportation projects that require federal approval even if they were
not federally funded.
The EPA entered into a Project XL agreement with the developers, to address the ban on
transportation infrastructure. Project XL , "excellence and Leadership", is a program that "allows
states and local governments, businesses and federal facilities to develop with EPA innovative strategies
to test better cost-effective ways of achieving environmental and public health protection." Under the
agreement, development of the site would have to include interchanges and bridges for cars,
pedestrians, bicycles, and buses to serve as essential links to Atlanta's mass transit system, MARTA.
The goal of the agreement was to create a connection between the Atlantic Station community and
public transportation to reduce growth of traffic in Atlanta and its negative impacts on air and water
quality.

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The next hurdle was cleaning up the site. The developers partnered with the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to develop a $ 10-million plan to
remediate the site's extensive contamination. The developers conducted a risk-based site assessment
to determine the level of cleanup needed at the site, which included: the removal of more than 9,000
truckloads of impacted soils; construction of erosion/stormwater controls and barriers to prevent
exposure to soil that remained on-site; surface water runoff controls; prevention of groundwater
contamination at other sites; and creating institutional controls to prevent future exposure to
contamination. Remediation of the former Atlanta Steel mill site was finished in December 2001 when
the State issued a "no further action" letter.
In 2000, construction began. The plan for the site calls for it to
be divided into three areas, the District, the Commons, and the
Village. The District, a portion of which opened in March 2004,
will feature one million square feet of open air retail and
entertainment, six million square feet of office space, 150,000
square feet of loft office space, and 200 two story loft
apartments above retail shops and restaurants. The Commons
will be primarily residential with a mix of apartment buildings,
and low-rise condominiums built around a new park and
fountained lake, all within walking distance of the retail and
office space located in the District. The Village will consist of
retail shops and cafes with residential units above. To help defray the costs of infrastructure
improvements to prepare the site for the redevelopment, the City of Atlanta approved the Atlantic
Steel Tax Allocation District (TAD), a tax increment financing overlay that will allow the property
taxes generated by the redevelopment to be used for property
improvements for the next 25 years. The TAD is expected to
generate $35 million per year and will allow the developers of the
site to sell bonds to cover additional property improvement costs. In
July 2004, Atlantic Station received a green building certification for
an office tower by the U.S. Green Building Council. Atlantic Station's
official Grand Opening was held in October 2005.
In addition to cleaning up a contaminated site, the reuse of this urban infill property and integration of
other "smart growth" tools into the design of the Atlantic Station community will help improve air and
water quality for all of metropolitan Atlanta. An EPA analysis of the transportation and air emissions
impacts of the project compared to a similar development in an outlying Greenfield area found that the
Atlantic Station redevelopment will result in 34 percent fewer vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) and up to
45 percent fewer NOx emissions. By using smart growth tools to revitalize this large urban brownfield
site, Atlanta is investing in a sustainable future for the metropolitan region.
Website:
2005 Aerial Photo
www.atlanticstation.com

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Rural Community of Cowpens, SC Becomes a National Model
Town of Cowpens, South Carolina, is proving true the adage that small towns come together when
there is a crisis. A manufacturing plant closed in 1990, this town of 2,000 was faced with the loss of
more than 400 jobs, as well as an abandoned building containing unknown amounts of contamination.
The 228,000-square-foot clothing plant was once the largest employer in Cowpens secured by an
agreement between the county and the manufacturer's parent company to guarantee $10 million in
industrial revenue bonds. When the parent firm sold the clothing company to a group of investors who
shut down the Cowpens plant in 1990, the clothing company defaulted on the industrial revenue
bonds, leaving the county holding title to the abandoned property.
Inside the dormant facility, town officials discovered 85 drums of industrial chemicals, with no
responsible party to pay for cleanup. Operations at the plant had also contaminated the site's
groundwater with tetrachloroethene, a substance similar to dry cleaning fluid-and to add to the
problem, the former plant is located between the town's elementary and middle
schools. Contamination prevented developers from buying and making any attempt to clean up and
redevelop the site.
To help the town address these problems, EPA awarded Cowpens a $200,000 EPA Brownfields
Assessment Pilot Grant in May 1997; the town was one of the first small communities in the country
to win such an award and services were aimed at the revitalization of the abandoned plant.
A national environmental cleanup company agreed to test the contents of the 85 drums and remove
them from the site. The drum removal was performed free of charge in December 1997. This was just
the start of many contributions from the community. A local environmental company performed an
asbestos and lead paint survey on the facility and estimated the costs associated with
cleanup. This was approximately $25,000 worth of free service. A local roofing company conducted an
evaluation of the roof, estimated to cost $5,000, also free of charge. A video survey of the facility's
sewer line, locksmith services, and environmental contest award money from the
Lions Club were also conducted.
The Pilot also leveraged funding from the University of South Carolina at Columbia, which provided
$55,000 for technical services related to the design and development of a proposed Industrial Ecology
Park on the 70-acre site. The $1,500 the town provided to initialize the Cowpens Development
Corporation Fund. Study worth $5,000, and Clemson University conducted a Retail Business Survey
worth $5,000; both free of charge. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expended
approximately $40,000 to conduct a groundwater sampling investigation on the site and in the
surrounding community where contaminated groundwater was believed to have migrated. A $6,000
grant was secured toward emergency response ground studies and electromagnetic surveying.

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All of these contributions were realized due to the dedication of the town leaders and the project
leader. More of the EPA brownfields grant money was put towards the complex soil and groundwater
investigations that were necessary at the site. Critical to the plan was the formation of the Cowpens
Development Corporation and their taking title to the property. The South Carolina Department of
Environment & Health Control worked to resolve issues related to the contaminated groundwater at
the site.
The Town is hoping that its successful approach to this former manufacturing site can serve as a model
for brownfields redevelopment in small communities across the country.
Contact:
Mayor John T. Hill
City of Cowpens
864-463-3201.

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Saving Georgia's Sea Turtles on Jekyll Island, GA
Saving the sea turtles has long been a major concern of Georgia conservationists. Sea turtles have
existed unchanged for more than 100 million years, but most of us have never seen one. Female sea
turtles come to shore specifically to lay their eggs, but males never return unless injured.
There are thousands of sea turtles requiring medical care and rehabilitation, resulting in an
overpopulation of existing treatment facilities. More than 70 sea turtles have washed up on Georgia's
beaches in just one month. Lacking a rehabilitation center in the state, injured sea turtles have to be
transported to Florida. That is, if Florida has room for them.
Florida has 15 treatment facilities, but they are not always able to accommodate Georgia's needs.
Neither are North Carolina and South Carolina, which have one facility each.
Public awareness of the plight of Georgia's sea turtles could change soon with the proposed Jekyll
Island Sea Turtle Center, a medical treatment and rehabilitation facility for the endangered species.
Project planners are one step closer to the realization of their goals with recent funding made available
through EPA's Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) program.
Under the TBA program, EPA provides funding and/or technical assistance for environmental
assessments at brownfields sites throughout the country. TBA funding, in the amount of $82,000, will
be used to conduct Phase I and Phase 2 environmental site investigations on the Jekyll Island property,
formerly a coal-fired power generating plant. Environmental concerns include mercury and other
metals found in ash, lead and chromium associated with wall paint, and acid drainage from battery
storage on a concrete pad.
The Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Center will combine elements of conservation, historic preservation and
public education. Students from across the state and the eleven-county coastal zone will have an
opportunity to learn first hand about marine science and sea turtle conservation, as well as the history
of Jekyll Island.
Jekyll Island, the sixth largest of Georgia's barrier islands, is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the
Intercoastal Waterway. It is a land replete with live oaks, Spanish moss, wildlife, and natural flora.
Sixty-five percent of the island remains undeveloped, protected by a Georgia land preservation law.
The land reuse proposal was developed by the Jekyll Island Foundation, the Jekyll Island Authority, the
Wildlife Conservation Society at St. Catherines Island, and the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources (Coastal Resources and Wildlife Resources Division). The TBA will be administered by the
State of Georgia.
Source: www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf/bqsept2004.pdf

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Land-of-Sky Regional Council in Asheville, NC Takes On
Brownfields with Regional Planning
The Land-of-Sky Regional Council in North Carolina is utilizing some exciting and innovative tools to
address environmental issues in the region, including technical and financial assistance to local
governments and potential brownfields property owners. Additionally, they have been successful in
removing certain barriers to the redevelopment of brownfields properties by assisting property
owners in obtaining liability protection when merited.
A multi-county local government planning and development organization, Land-of-Sky is one of 18 such
organizations in the state. It serves a region that includes the counties of Buncombe, Henderson,
Madison and Transylvania. The region is characterized by a mixture of isolated rural areas, small
towns, urban communities, and rapidly growing suburban or "fringe city" areas, with a combined
population of 344,472. In its mission statement, Land-of-Sky Regional Council commits to "work with
local governments, the Region's leadership and state and federal agencies to foster desirable social,
economic, cultural and ecological conditions" in the counties served.
Regional Councils lend a "competitive advantage" to small and rural communities that find themselves
vying with large cities for limited state and federal funding, said Ron Townley, Senior Planner for Land-
of-Sky. By pooling their expertise and resources in the largely Appalachian region, local governments
unable to underwrite new initiatives can pursue state and federal grants to address critical
environmental issues.
Through its Regional Brownfields Initiative (RBI)—a partnership of economic developers, local officials,
bankers, environmental planners, realtors and community members—the Council has assumed an
active role in brownfields redevelopment. The RBI is an outgrowth of a Brownfields workshop hosted
by the Council at a local convention center. A follow-up survey indicated a preference among
participants for processing Brownfields grant applications through the regional council. The Regional
Brownfields Initiative crosses jurisdictional boundaries to forge multiple and diverse partnerships that
will serve the region on a long-term basis.
Land-of-Sky's RBI is guided by its Brownfields Advisory Group. Members of the Advisory Group are
local officials, community organizations, business owners, and regulatory and legal experts, among
others. The Advisory Group identifies properties with possible contamination that have good
redevelopment potential. Besides site selection, five workgroups select and oversee the work of
consultants and a financial manager, and conduct an education and outreach program.
In its initial proposal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, two areas were targeted for
Brownfields assessment grant applications. One area, the French Broad Riverfront adjacent to

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downtown Asheville, borders neighborhoods with the highest poverty rates and lowest median family
incomes in Buncombe County. The other, an abandoned lumber treatment facility in the Town of
Fletcher, is slated to become the new town center and central business district. Land-of-Sky was
awarded two new assessment grants of $200,000 each in 2004, and revolving loan fund grants totaling
one million dollars.
Contact:
Ron Townley
Senior Planner
Land-of Sky-Regional Council
828-251-6622

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Selma, AL Uses Brownfield Redevelopment to Sustain Small-Town Heritage
When one thinks about rurai America's landscape, the word "frontier" comes to mind. Just as the
definition of the word frontier suggests, rural America is the compilation of regions at or beyond the
edge of settled areas. These regions are often considered to be largely undeveloped or depending on
one's view, underdeveloped.
As the U.S. edges toward the projected population of nearly 400 million in 2050, these rural regions
are bound to keep growing. Within these regions some small metropolises, not quite rural, are
cropping up and more or less functioning in rural isolation.
Micropolitan Statistical Areas
In response to this phenomenon, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget developed a classification
to quantify growth and allows these small cities to enable statistical consolidation with metropolitan
areas, as needed. It's called the micropolitan statistical area, and generally encompasses a county that
has at least one urban population cluster with a minimum of 10,000 and a maximum of 49,999.
Simply stated, a micropolitan area is a functioning small community isolated from other metropolitan
areas. In addition, the definition identifies cities and includes well-distanced suburbs, where many
city-employed people have their homes. These micropolitans are sometimes referred to as
"commutersheds."
There are currently 674 counties with micropolitan areas, according to a USDA Economic Research
Service 2003 report. These micropolitan areas tend to retain a common residential preference for
small-town, healthy living that is neither large-urban nor completely rural and are at a distance from
metro areas. The residential small-town preference makes managing growth and combating sprawl a
top priority.
Often, these growing micropolitan areas rely on the expertise of local government planning divisions
or regional planning organizations such as a council of governments (COG) to ensure that
transportation and community development growth designs keep quality of living standards
intact. Many of these local or regional planning divisions have found that redeveloping brownfields
preserves the small-town lifestyle that attracted residents in the first place.
Selma. Alabama
The rural-urban continuum community of Selma, Alabama (population 20,5 12) is one of these
micropolitan areas. The town has used brownfield redevelopment to sustain their small-town persona
and heritage and to improve their environment.

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Selma is tucked away some 45 miles west of Montgomery and 80 miles south of Birmingham.
Overlooking the Alabama River, Selma is part of the Alabama-Tombigbee river economic development
region and is the only micropolitan among the rural region's ten counties. Selma was founded in 1820.
Since then, the small city has been the site of many historic events, including Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.'s launching of the 1965 voting rights marches. During the Civil War it was one of the South's main
military manufacturing centers.
Selma houses the largest historic district in Alabama. Mayor James Perkin Jr., elected in 2000 as Selma's
first black mayor and re-elected in 2004 commented, "A heritage as rich as ours ought to be preserved
and redeveloping brownfields allows us the luxury to do just that. It also makes our communities
healthier, brings the community together and gives us the economic stepping-stone we so badly need
in our rural environs."
Selma's economic standing has been on a steady decline since 1978 when Craig Air Force Base closed
and a domino effect of manufacturing shutdowns ensued. One of those idled sites was the 50-acre
Honda All-Lock plant, which was gifted to the City.
When the City received an EPA brownfields grant in 2001, they prioritized the Honda plant and two
other sites. They got to work and got the plant redeveloped. The plant is now occupied by
Meadowcraft Inc., which produces outdoor furniture. Approximately 200 new jobs were
created, and the two-year lease agreement will essentially cover the redevelopment costs.
Selma also received a 2002 Underground Storage Tank grant to reclaim three former gas stations. The
overall brownfields revitalization objective in Selma is being met, which is to sustain the small-town feel
and honor its heritage while managing growth.
Contact:
Kelly Novak
NADO Research Foundation
202-624-7809
knovak@nado.org

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Revitalizing Southeastern Communities
Seminole Tribe of Florida - Tribal Response Program
The Seminole Tribe of Florida received their first Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program
Brownfields Grant in September of 2004. Activities supported under this program include the timely
survey and inventory of brownfields sites on Tribal lands, remediation of pollution, public participation,
approval and verification of a cleanup plan, and maintaining the Public Record.
Detail of these activities include:
Timely Survey and Inventory of Brownfields Sites in Tribal Land
¦	Sites have been identified and a database was developed that produces an analysis of the
number, graphic distribution and the general characteristics of brownfields on Tribal Lands.
Oversight and Enforcement Authorities
¦	The Seminole Tribe has been evaluating the Tribe's legal authority to ensure that response
actions will be protective of human health and the environment and in accordance with
applicable Federal and Tribal Law.
¦	The Tribe worked with EPA Region 4 to develop a Quality Assurance Management Plan
(QAMP), which has been approved.
Mechanisms to Provide Meaningful Opportunities for Public Participation
" The Water Resource Department is currently working on developing policies that will allow
the Water Commission to act as the authorized Tribal entity, providing Tribal participation on
decisions on brownfields sites within Indian Lands.
Cleanup Mechanisms
¦	The Tribe is researching procedures to require that all cleanup activities are completed and
verified.
Public Record Requirement
" The Tribe has completed a Public Record that is accessible to the public and will be updated at
least annually. The record will contain information on remedial actions completed in the past
year; planned for the coming year, and any institutional controls used. Geographic Information
Systems are being used to identify locations for decision-makers.
Site Specific Activities
¦	The Tribe plans to continue to conduct assessments of brownfields sites and anticipates that
12-15 new assessments will be completed within fiscal year 2006.
Contact:
Brian Holtzclaw
EPA Region 4
holtzclaw.brian@epa.gov
404-562-8684

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