Brownfields
Success Story
Collaboration to Revitalize
Aging Homes
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
Belcourt, North Dakota
History
The Turtle Mountain Reservation is located near the Canadian border in
north central North Dakota. Built in the 1960's under the 1937 Housing Act,
the L'BelCour residential complex contained 21 structures with over 70
apartments. This complex was once a thriving housing community but
became a hazard for its residents. By 2017, many of the units were still
occupied, despite substantial contamination, fire damage, and poor
structural integrity.
EPA Partnership Begins Revitalization
In partnership with the Tribe, EPA began assessing the L'BelCour units in
2017 under its Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program. The
assessments found asbestos-containing materials throughout the units.
After the assessments, the Tribe applied for and received a total of
$1,200,000 in competitive cleanup grants from the EPA. Between 2018 to
2020, 17 of the 21 structures were abated using the cleanup grants. The
Tribe completed the cleanup of the remaining four structures with its own
funding.
Collaborative Efforts Provide New Hope
In 2019, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) joined
the partnership with the Tribe's Housing Authority and the EPA. With a
$3,000,000 grant, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
(CARES) Act provided by HUD, the 21 L'BelCour structures were
demolished, and redevelopment of new homes began. By November 2020,
demolition and disposal were completed, and 8 new prefabricated homes
were installed. These new homes provide proper heating for the cold North
Dakota winters, while eliminating any health concerns that previously
existed. Today, the Turtle Mountain Housing Authority is working with HUD
for additional funding to complete the redevelopment.
"We are excited about the incredible transformation of L'BelCour from an
unsafe complex of homes to a clean property with eight new homes and
hopefully more on the way."- Ray Reed, Turtle Mountain Brownfields
Coordinator
oEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
L'BelCour after cleanup with 8 new homes.
EPA Grant Recipient:
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Indians
Belcourt, North Dakota
Technical Assistance Tool:
Targeted Brownfields Assessment
Grants:
•	EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant
•	HUD Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security (CARES) Act
Grant
For more information, contact:
Ted Lanzano at (303) 312-6596
Lanzano.Ted@epa.gov
A housing unit before cleanup (top picture),
and one of the new homes (bottom).
EPA 560-F-21-194
June 2021

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