State and Tribal Response	<&EF¥V

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Program H ighIights	81 p n

EPA Funding Provided to States and Tribes to Address Contaminated Land in their Communities

REGION I

VERMONT—A 0.3-acre property just outside of downtown
Vergennes was first developed in the late 1800s as a commercial
and residential use. From about 1940 to 2017, the property
operated as a gas station and auto repair shop. In 2018, the
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
used Section 128(a) Response Program funding to conduct an
environmental assessment on the property. In 2020, the Vermont
DEC provided oversight of the removal of two underground
storage tanks (USTs), In 2021, the property was transformed into
a three-unit apartment building.

The Avenel Performing Arts Center.

REGION 2

NEW JERSEY—For many decades, the 27-acre General
Dynamic's Electro Dynamic and Electric Boat facility employed
over 1,000 specialized workers in Woodbridge. In 2000, the
facility shut down operations and the property sat vacant for
many years. In 2016, the New Jersey Department of Environment
Protection used Section 128(a) Response Program funding
to provide oversight of the assessment and cleanup of the
property. The cleanup consisted of the excavation and removal

of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contaminated soil.
After cleanup was completed, the property was redeveloped in a
phased approach, in 2018, the Station Village apartment complex
containing 500 units and 25,000 square feet of retail space open.
The Avenel Performing Arts Center that can accommodate up to
225 guests with multiple performance space opened in 2020.

REGION 3

MARYLAND—For many decades, the 27-acre General Dynamic's
Electro Dynamic and Electric Boat facility employed over 1,000
specialized workers in Woodbridge. In 2000, the facility shut down
operations and the property sat vacant for many years. In 2016,
the New Jersey Department of Environment Protection used
Section 128(a) Response Program funding to provide oversight
of the assessment and cleanup of the property. The cleanup
consisted of the excavation and removal of polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH) contaminated soil. After cleanup was
completed, the property was redeveloped in a phased approach.
In 2018, the Station Village apartment complex containing 500
units and 25,000 square feet of retail space open. The Avenel
Performing Arts Center that can accommodate up to 225 guests
with multiple performance space opened in 2020.

REGION 4

FLORIDA—From the 1920s until the 1960s, ash from municipal
incinerators, and later yard trash, was dumped at an old landfill
near the Palm Beach International Airport. The dumping stopped
in 2000 at the 8.83-acre property. After sitting idle for several
years, in 2014 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) used Section 128(a) Response Program funding to conduct
an initial assessment on the property. The Florida DEP spent
the next five years providing oversight on the property as it was
cleaned up. Cleanup included the removal of contaminated soil
and groundwater pump and treat systems. In 2020, a new Wawa
convenience store was built on the corner and several other small
retail stores were built on the other portion of the property.

CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding

January/February/March 2022


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Architectural rendering of the Snelling Yard Redevelopment.

REGION 5

MINNESOTA—From the 1920s until the 1960s, ash from
municipal incinerators, and later yard trash, was dumped at
an old landfill near the Palm Beach International Airport. The
dumping stopped in 2000 at the 8.83-acre property. After
sitting idle for several years, in 2014 the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) used Section 128(a) Response
Program funding to conduct an initial assessment on the property.
The Florida DEP spent the next five years providing oversight on
the property as it was cleaned up. Cleanup included the removal
of contaminated soil and groundwater pump and treat systems. In
2020, a new Wawa convenience store was built on the corner and
several other small retail stores were built on the other portion or
the property.

REGION 6

TEXAS—A former fish hatchery operated on a 4.6-acre property
in East Austin, just north of Lady Bird Lake, from 1950 to
1970. The property sat vacant for several decades until trails
were added to the site in the mid-2000s. In 2016, the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality used Section 128(a)
Response Program funding to provide oversight of assessment
activities on the property. Assessment activities determined the
site to be acceptable for residential use. The local community
came together to design a garden using perma-culture design
principles to create a sustainable and self-sufficient agricultural
ecosystem. Low maintenance fruit trees were also planted to
create a "food forest," which provides residents with access to
fresh foods.

The Blue Hill Aquatic Wellness Center.

REGION 7

NEBRASKA— The City of Blue Hill was in dire need of a new
pool. The community pool that opened in 1964 had multiple
issues including the mechanical building not being structurally
sound; the pool leaking large amounts of water; a bathhouse that
was not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant; and community
funds being wasted on temporary repairs instead of a long-term
solution. Additionally, many parents expressed concerns that
their children had to cross a busy highway to access the pool.
The city proposed a location for a new pool at South Sycamore
Street on the south side of the community that would provide
safer access for everyone. The proposed location was occupied
by a 26,000 square-foot former grade school that had been
sitting vacant since 2002 and was contaminated with asbestos-
containing materials (ACM). In 2016, the Nebraska Department of
Environment and Energy (NDEE) used Section 128(a) Response
Program funding to complete an updated ACM Survey to ensure
that all building materials suspected of containing asbestos were
properly analyzed and helped defray costs associated with the
asbestos abatement. The building was safely demolished after
the asbestos abatement was completed in 2017. The small
community was able to raise nearly three million dollars for
the pool project, and the new Blue Hill Aquatic Center officially
opened on June 1, 2021.

CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding

January/February/March 2022


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The Fort Peck Wellness Center.

REGION 8

FORT PECK TRIBE—The Fort Peck Wellness Center is an effort
that began in 2001, Local high school students worked with
the Harvard Medical School and began studying the underlying
issues causing a disparity in life expectancy among members of
the Fort Peck Tribes. The average life expectancy of an individual
living on the Fort Peck Reservation is 59 years, compared
to 78.5 years for the state of Montana and nationwide. In the
years after the study, a small wellness center was created in
Poplar and school-based programs provided children with health
care services. The community began to outgrow the original
wellness center. In 2019, the Fort Peck Tribe used Section
128(a) Response Program funding to conduct an environmental
assessment on a vacant property. The assessment determined
that no cleanup was required. In 2021, the new 50,000-square
foot facility replaced the smaller center and includes a healthcare
clinic with medical, dental, and therapy rooms. A pool, gym and
workout equipment encourage physical fitness, while cultural arts,
education and dance programs foster tribal traditions. The center
was designed to promote health through every stage of life,
providing services for healthcare, physical fitness, childcare, and
cultural arts and education.

REGION 9

CALIFORNIA—Since 1963 a 15-acre property on the Samoa
Channel in the Areata Bay has served as pulp mill. After changing
ownership many times, the mill ceased operations in 2008 and sat
idle for many years. Starting in 2015, the California Department
of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) used Section 128(a)
Response Program funding to provide oversight of assessment
and cleanup activities. In 2018, Humboldt County used an EPA
Brownfields Cleanup Grant to remove soil contaminated with
volatile organic compounds (VOC), lead, and other metals. After
cleanup activities were completed, the property is now used by
commercial and industrial tenants. The Pacific Flake Sea Salt
company renovated one of the onsite buildings and now operates
on the property.

REGION 10

SHOSHONE-BANNOCK TRIBES-The Shoshone-Bannock
Tribes continue to address affordable housing needs for
the community by conducting assessments on potentially
contaminated and idle residential properties. In 2020, the tribe
used Section 128(a) Response Program funding to conduct
fourteen environmental assessments on residential properties.
The assessments are typically conducted on older residential
structures that have lead-based paint, asbestos, or mold.
The tribe uses the results from the assessments to abate
the hazardous substances, so they can move to remodeling,
upgrading, and reusing the structures for much needed housing.

«»EPA

united states	CERCLA Section 128(a) State and Tribal Response Program Funding	January/February/March 2022	EPA S60-F-22-296

Environmental Protection
Agency


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