Barre City, Vermont Accounts for Climate Change within a Brownfield
Redevelopment Plan

'SS'epa.gov/arc-x/barre-city-vermont-accounts-climate-char

The Summer Street Housing Limited Partnership, a
partnership between the Central Vermont Community
Land Trust (CVCLT) and the non-profit Housing
Vermont, sought to redevelop a brownfields site in
Barre, Vermont. The site was the former location of an
automobile servicing station and a paint shop, and
previously contained several underground petroleum
storage tanks.

To guide the redevelopment efforts, the partnership
conducted an Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup
Alternatives (ABCA). As part of its analysis - and to
build in climate resiliency and adaptation - the
partnership used available regional climate projections
to anticipate current and future risks; namely flooding
and extreme temperatures. The partnership then
considered the vulnerability of potential cleanup
remedies to the identified climate risks.

By including current and future climate threats in its analysis, the partnership was better able to understand potential
vulnerabilities associated with its planned brownfields investment. For example, the increasing frequency and intensity of
storms projected for the region may lead to flooding that could compromise potential remediation fixes such as engineered
caps. By its explicit consideration of projected climate threats, now and in the future, the Partnership's final remedy selection is
designed to safeguard public health even as the climate changes.

How Did They Do It?	Applicable EPA Tools

Identified Climate Risks

•	Reviewed NOAA Technical Report Regional Climate Trends and Scenarios for the
United States National Climate Assessment: Climate of the Northeast United States
to identify anticipated regional climate risks.

•	After identifying anticipated climate risk, the Partnership used local knowledge of the
site to determine primary climate vulnerabilities. Specifically, more frequent and
intense storms may lead to flooding which could result in potential contamination
releases beyond the site. More extreme temperatures could also exacerbate the risk
of soil gas exchange and maintaining healthy indoor air quality.

ige-within-brownfield-redevelopment-plan

Graphic representation of proposed Central Vermont Community Land Trust Remediated
brownfields campus.

Review the National Climate
Assessment regional
projection to better identify
projected climate risks.

National Climate
Assessment

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How Did They Do It?

Applicable EPA Tools

Considered climate risk and vulnerability when evaluating cleanup alternatives

•	The site's Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives stated, "Climate change
concerns for site-wide soil gas contamination include: drought conditions could lower
the surficial groundwater table, leading to a larger vadose zone for soil gas migration
[for more on Vadose Zone Leaching see EPA VLEACH]; and the loss of a winter frost
layer could alter soil gas contaminant migration pathways to indoor air in unknown
ways."

•	While several cleanup options were identified, several were rejected because they
would not have reduced climate vulnerability. (E.g capping the contaminated soil was
not selected because while it may have reduced current exposure, it would have
been vulnerable to future flooding events anticipated as a result of projected
increased precipitation).

Selected a Brownfield Cleanup Alternative that they identified as having Adaptive

Benefits

•	A cleanup that included a soil management plan (SMP) and targeted excavation was
adopted. Excavation was selected due to the level of uncertainty on how climate
change could "alter soil gas contaminant migration to indoor air in unknown ways"

(as identified in the Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives).

•	For additional safety, a "sub-slab depressurization (SSD) system and vapor barrier to
mitigate exposure to indoor air via the vapor intrusion pathway in the future buildings"
was included in the Corrective Action Public Notice in order to attain "land use
restrictions (LURs) to protect any potential future construction/utility workers or new
property owners from exposure to site contaminants.

Similar Cases and More Information

The Summer Street Housing Limited Partnership anticipated the effects of climate change to their brownfield redevelopment
efforts. To see how waste sites (Superfund or RCRA sites) have prepared for climate changes see American Cyanamid
Superfund case.

• American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduces Climate Exposure

Use the EPA's Analysis of
Brownfields Cleanup
Alternative checklist to help
consider anticipated climate
changes in your Corrective
Action Plan.

EPA's Analysis of
Brownfields Cleanup
Alternative checklist

Use EPA Brownfield
Revitalization in Climate-
Vulnerable Areas to help
inform selection of
appropriate adaptation
option.

EPA Brownfield
Revitalization in Climate-
Vulnerable Areas

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