Advancing Equitable
Development in Brown fields
Cleanup and Redevelopment

How can grantees incorporate environmental justice and
equitable development during the Brownfields cleanup and
reuse planning process?

United States
Environmental Protection
JF LnI M % Agency

May 2023


-------
Environmental Justice and Equitable Development in
Brownfield Cleanup and Redevelopment

A primary purpose of Region l's Brownfields
Program is to reduce environmental risks and
blight from neighborhoods. These outcomes are
especially important for neighborhoods in both
urban and rural areas within any underserved
communities, with disproportionate environmental
impacts, associated health outcomes and other
environmental justice concerns. Revitalizing
brownfield sites can also create benefits for
the community such as jobs, housing, services,
resiliency and open space. Adopting an equitable
development approach to brownfield revitalization
prioritizes addressing goals and concerns for
communities in need throughout the cleanup and
redevelopment process. Equitable development is
especially important for neighborhoods that have
historically been left out of decision-making and as
a result, face long-term disinvestment challenges.

An equitable development process needs to
incorporate meaningful engagement when working
with a community. This involves learning about
the community and different stakeholder groups,
assessing the community needs and addressing
barriers to engage in the process. An involvement
plan for the community helps ensure that they
play an important role in the process in helping to
identify cleanup plans and reuse goals that benefit
and support the needs of the existing community.
Brownfields grantees can adopt the best practices
below to advance environmental justice and
equitable development throughout the revitalization
process in their communities.

Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people
regardless of race, color, national origin or income with respect to the
development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations and policies. This goal will be achieved when everyone
enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health
hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have a
healthy environment in which to live, learn and work.

a

Equitable development is an approach for meeting the needs
of underserved communities through policies and programs
that reduce disparities while fostering places that are healthy
and vibrant. It is increasingly considered an effective placed-
based action for creating strong and livable communities.

What resources does EPA Region l's Brownfields Program have to help?

EPA's Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes and others to assess and
safely clean up and sustainably reuse contaminated properties in New England.

2	May 2023


-------
Equitable Engagement Throughout the Brownfields Grant Process

P re-P ro posa l/Awa rd

"I am applying for a
grant, now what?"

Involve the community
in the creation of
plans and goals
based on community-
identified needs. Build
partnerships, trust and
relationships.



-y

~\

During Grant
Funded Work

"I got a grant,
now what?"

Keep the community
informed and engaged.
Build on the brownfield
investment by seeking
partnerships and
additional funding
to implement
other community
revitalization goals.

flaa

-~



Post-Award

"I am closing out a
grant, now what?"

Continue to keep the
community involved
and updated. Reflect
on how to improve the
next time. Maintain
momentum through
broader revitalization.
Be aware of changes
over time, as there can
be some disconnect
between cleanup grant
to redevelopment
which may occur years
later.



Recommendations from Grantees for Different Entities

Small Rural

Recognize limited local capacity.

Can be communities in economic transition.

Demographics may include aging, low-income populations.

Urban

Regional
or State

Opportunity to address chronic disinvestment.
Opportunity to address environmental justice issues of
disproportionate environmental risks and
health outcomes.

Potential for increasing social capacity
through relationship building and
partnerships.

Integrate environmental justice into
funding application and selection criteria.
Integrate community engagement
and community-driven planning into
conditions for assistance.

EPA Region 1 Brownfields Program

3


-------
Best Practices to Advance Environmental Justice and Equitable Development

The following equitable development best practices can be integrated throughout the brownfield cleanup
and redevelopment process. Select icons are included in each case study to highlight relevant best practices.



m

\

Target Community Needs. Prioritize cleanup investments to neighborhoods most in need due to:

•	Disproportionate environmental risks and health outcomes, or

•	Chronic disinvestment in basic amenities and services.



4

Advance Community Goals. Engage the community from the start in establishing project goals
and outcomes.

•	Recognize and value community knowledge.

1 • Identify environmental justice and development needs of the community and work to integrate
benefits to address these needs into project plans and goals.

| • Ensure the community is on the same page regarding cleanup and the goals of future development.

•	Minimize barriers to participation for the community by partnering with community organizations
on outreach, holding meetings in neighborhood spaces, advertise in neighborhood places, translate
materials, provide food and activities for children and engage in community cultural activities.





Center Community Benefits. Determine how cleanup and reuse can meet community-identified
needs such as jobs, affordable housing, services, resiliency and open space.

1



#

Build Community Partnerships. Build partnerships with other agencies, community-based
organizations and foundations to expand resources, networks and trust among the community.

•	Find common ground and balance various partner and community needs.

•	Nurture long-term community relationships to span before, during and after grant projects.



(cm:

Expand Funding Sources. Leverage other funding sources to maintain momentum in achieving the
1 broader revitalization vision.

1 • While the brownfield project cannot meet all the community needs, manage expectations from the
start and seek opportunities to address broader needs through other funding and resource partners.

_

A11

Proactively Mitigate Displacement. Identify and develop strategies to reduce risks of
displacement (of housing, businesses, jobs and cultural elements) and maximize opportunities for the
current population to benefit.

•	Acknowledge that addressing environmental justice and economic development needs may lead
to unintended consequences that could be caused directly from the cleanup and redevelopment
and/or indirectly from longer-term outcomes like gentrification, cultural shifts and cost-of-living
increases.

•	Consider how to reduce and mitigate these unintended consequences by strategies such as creating
and retaining affordable housing, local businesses and cultural aspects of the neighborhood.

—

wti?

Adapt the Process. Solicit feedback on the process and adapt as needed.

•	There is always more to learn and improve upon when engaging with communities. There is no one
size fits all method, and the approach should evolve and improve over time based on dialogue with
the community.

•	Invest in a long-term commitment and recognize that developing equitable, inclusive and healthy
communities is a long-term process.

W

May 2023


-------
Urban EJ Case Study: Roxbury, MA

Context

Bartlett Station, once known as Bartlett Yard, located in
Roxbury, Massachusetts, used to be a mass transit facility
operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. The
presence of this site and other brownfields were seen as
contributing to the high asthma rates and other public
health issues in this densely populated and largely minority
neighborhood. The racial health disparities brought
environmental justice concerns to the forefront. From
2011-2013, EPA awarded $1 million in cleanup grants
for the five parcels that make up the site to a nonprofit
housing developer. Now that this site has been cleaned
up, it has been redeveloped as an innovative urban mixed-
use development. The overall development included
380 residential units with an emphasis on equitable
development.

Process and Strategies

The city held a community event at the Bartlett Station
site to activate the area and make it a focal point for the
community to envision as a place they would go to in the
future. Before the demolition occurred, local artists were
invited to do artwork, add installations and share dance
performances. This was a very well-attended event that
also utilized ways to gather input from the community,
such as having a wall where people could add statements.
The city also established an online project interface for
people to access which included a project timeline, the
approval process and information on the status of the
cleanup, as well as allowing people to give comments,
feedback and ask questions. When the online platform
closed after the planning period, community members
were encouraged to ask questions during monthly
meetings and forums, and updates were sent in the mail.

in real time and were involved in
discussions on the cleanup done to
date.

Outcomes

The results at the Bartlett Station
site have been successful and
met the expressed needs of the
community. The overall vision for the
site developed by the community
included mixed-income housing, local
culture, open space and cleaning up
contaminated sites. The community
highlighted that they did not wish
for the site to be redeveloped into
fast food restaurants, but rather
they wanted "healthy retail" that
was locally owned. To meet these

needs, a local, black owned grocery store will be opening
soon on the site, joining a minority-women owned
Montessori school and a gym. The redevelopment of the
site also included a mixed-income affordable housing
model to address concerns about gentrification and
disinvestment in Roxbury. This approach was backed by
local support and the city incorporated it into its amended
comprehensive plan, as affordable housing was a major
consideration throughout the community. The success of
this redevelopment came from continued communication
with the community, which is still ongoing and will have
long-standing benefits for the community for future
projects.

The strategies used at this site aiso revealed important
lessons learned to inform future projects and further
improve upon the process. One key lesson learned was
the importance of managing expectations early in the
process and considering the feasibility of addressing all the
goals of a project, then conveying them to the community.
During the redevelopment at Bartlett Station, there was
a 2-year break in time where no construction occurred
after the first building was completed and before the next
building began. This caused concerns and frustration
within the community, as it was not always clear why work
was not visibly happening on the site. The project team
then worked to communicate that there are several steps
involved before a building can be completed, and that work
was indeed occurring during that break in time. With such
high expectations at the site, cleanup and redevelopment
must strike a balance of trying to meet community needs
while communicating which goals may be difficult or
outside the scope and expectations of the site.

Best Practices
Highlighted

#

This project also involved a Community Advisory
Committee (CAC) that provided valuable input and is still
in place. The project at the Bartlett Station site involved

throughout the cleanup
and redevelopment process
to keep the community
informed. There was pre-
application community
outreach which
involved sharing with
local groups and
gathering support
from elected officials.
In the public meetings
throughout the
project, community
groups were updated

EPA Region 1 Brownfields Program

5


-------
Urban EJ Case Study: New London, CT

Context

New London is a distressed urban
area in Connecticut with many
environmental justice concerns.
The city is listed as the third most
distressed municipality in the
state, and the median household
income is almost 50% less than the
state median. The disadvantaged,
low-income and racially diverse
communities face a range of
environmental and health burdens.
The city currently has a $500,000
EPA Cleanup Grant to clean up
and redevelop a 0.6-acre vacant
property into a neighborhood park
for kids to play. With the cleanup
of the site, the remediated green
space will become a safe place

for the community to gather. This project provides an
example of a true community-based planning process in
which the community determined the goals for the project
based on neighborhood needs.

Process and Strategies

The partnerships formed during the project have
been instrumental in understanding the needs of the
community and designing a series of projects to address
those needs in the cleanup and redevelopment processes.
The city has been able to collaborate with nonprofit
partners during site cleanup, as well as an EPA Technical

Assistance to Brownfields provider to support community
engagement and application submission.

New London's community engagement strategies were
very effective in mobilizing the community around
revitalization. For instance, having a compelling
illustrated vision was a key factor in the cleanup
application that motivated the community to engage.
Community meetings were held at a local non-
profit space which helped to build trust and solidify
relationships. The Brownfields project benefitted from
the strong relationships made among community groups,
organizations, institutions and public safety officials,
such as the police chief and community policing officer.
In conducting a community survey to gain input, every
individual and home was contacted by maii, door-to-door
engagement and other means. The survey was sent in
both English and Spanish, and trusted representatives
went to homes to have conversations. A specific effort
was made to ensure that data was collected across age,

gender and racial groups to make sure all people were
well represented.

New London also used effective strategies to advertise
and conduct their community meetings. To encourage
attendance, some meetings had food available, and
the meetings were advertised through multiple forms
of outreach with digital communication and handmade
signs. The meetings also had a virtual call-in option. New
London also incorporated physical walking tours that were
very important and helpful for community members to see
where these investments were going. Children became
very involved in the process through relationship building
and inspired their parents and adult neighbors to engage
more in the process. This helped build trust with the
parents of the involved children, and they began to join

the community meetings with their kids.

Outcomes

^ How important is the following to make living in
your home and in the Freedom Trail Neighborhood
significantly more pleasurable for you?

Mot Important H 2 M 3 Hi 4 H Very Important

$!(• struts P»r$©njl |
Sttety

Better Building Maintenance I
Pretervation

¦J .J -J

mcxe affordable cast a! housing	more responsible landlords or neighbors

Best Practices
Highlighted

ESQ

f Practices
ghiighted

Feedback from the surveys and neighborhood
involvement conducted will inform future efforts after
the cleanup. Through persistence, New London received
grants for additional items such as speed signs, traffic
signs, decorative street posts and minor home repairs
from sources outside EPA. New London will be able to
benefit from the rapport and relationships built within
the community which will translate to long-term benefits
for future projects.

Building strong community partnerships not only helps create trust among
the community but can serve as a catalyst for expanding funding sources
and opportunities to achieve additional revitalization goals.

6

May 2023


-------
Small, Rural Case Study: Walpole, NH

Context

Walpole is a small, rural community in New Hampshire
consisting of a mostly senior, retired and low-income
population with a range of economic issues. The town
used to be a farming community, but now has very little
green space and farmland left. Improving walkability and
parking have become important objectives for the Town
to foster village vibrancy and economic activity. The Town
currently has a $500,000 EPA Cleanup Grant to clean
up and redevelop the Central Plating Site into a parking
lot and small pocket park with electric vehicle charging
stations. The redevelopment aims to support Walpole's
existing senior population, attract new families, increase
job growth and promote environmental stewardship.

Strategies

To help keep this small community informed, a widely
accessible monthly column for a newsletter in town is
used to talk about this brownfield project. Community
meetings are also held, as well as select board public
meetings where residents can join and participate.
Meeting notices are posted on frequently used public
bulletin boards, online resources and the newsletter.
Many of these meetings saw increased attendance during
the pandemic as they were virtual, and going forward
there will remain a virtual option for community members.

Outcomes

The community had a very positive
response to the site being cleaned
up and the prospect of removing
the decaying building that may
now be transformed into a public
space and bus stop area. To meet
the needs of the community and
the senior population, those who
do not live within walking distance,
will now be able to access the
local health clinic via bus. The
site will also provide expanded
parking to accommodate the
nearby commercial areas. The town
staff had to be very persistent in
their efforts to have the property
purchased and then apply for an
EPA grant. In applying for the grant,
the town also received support
in preparing their application
from the Technical Assistance to
Brownfields provider.



Best Practices
Highlighted

Prioritizing cleanup investments to meet community-identified needs will allow local benefits to be maximized when completing a project.
Photo 1: The Central Plating Site before cleanup and redevelopment,

Photo 2: The Central Plating Site will be redeveloped into a parking and electric vehicle charging lot for the City of Walpole.





EPA Region 1 Brownfields Program

7


-------
Key Takeaways

Consider how to advance environmental justice and equitable development throughout the brownfield
cleanup and redevelopment process.

Websites and Resources

EPA Brownfields

epa.aov/brownfields

EPA Region 1 Brownfields and Land Revitalization in
New England

epa.aov/brownfields/rl

EPA Environmental Justice Home Page

epa.gov/environmentaliustice

Region 1 Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB)
Provider

tab.program.uconn.edu

Groundwork USA Equitable Development

groundworkusa.org/ta-sen/ices/eciuitable-
development-resource-hub

Climate Economic and Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)

https://screeningtooi.geoplatform.gov

Environmental Justice Thriving Communities
Technical Assistance Centers

epa.gov/environmentaliustice/environmental-iustice-
thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers

Brownfields: Strategies to Minimize Displacement

epa.gov/brownfields/strategies-minimize-displacement

EPA Contacts

Jessica Dominguez

Land Revitalization Coordinator
(617) 918-1627

DominguezJessica@epa.gov

Katy Deng

Brownfields Project Manager
R1 EPA Brownfields EJ Lead
(617) 918-1286

Deng.Katv@epa.gov

Paul Pietrinferni

Brownfields Project Manager
(617) 918-1585

Pietri nferni. Pa ul @epa. gov

Amanda Van

Brownfields Project Manager
(617) 918-1214

Van.Amanda@epa.gov

Acknowledgments

EPA would like to thank and acknowledge all the grantees and community members who took the time to discuss
with EPA staff and helped to develop the information in this fact sheet.

Adapt the equitable development best practices to the unique context and
specific needs of your community.

Develop partnership, collaboration and deep community engagement
to build implementation support and ensure investments meet
community needs.

Engage with the community to understand their specific goals
and identify how the brownfield investments can achieve
equitable outcomes by meeting those needs.

Look for ways to build the capacity of the community to achieve
goals that may be outside the brownfield redevelopment process.

Build in small, frequent wins as part of the longer cleanup and
redevelopment process.

Adapt the process as needed based on new information and
community feedback.

8

EPA 901F2.3005
May 2023


-------