Reuse Planning Reuse Planning Description Superfund redevelopment is an important component of EPA's commitment to returning formerly contaminated sites to sustainable and productive use. Reuse planning supports this commitment by bringing communities together with EPA to identify opportunities to strengthen site cleanups, build partnerships and enable meaningful reuse outcomes. This fact sheet provides EPA staff with an overview of how reuse planning works, as well as the tools and resources available to support reuse planning activities. For communities, successful site reuse outcomes can include new jobs, increased tax revenues, recreational amenities that support healthier lifestyles and land uses that address local priorities. There are more than 550 Superfund sites in actual, continued or planned commercial, industrial, recreational or ecological uses. For EPA, considering future land use is an important part of the Superfund process. As detailed in EPA's "Considering Reasonably Anticipated Future Land Use and Reducing Barriers to Reuse at EPA-lead Superfund Remedial Sites" (OSWER Directive 9355.7-19), understanding a site's reasonably anticipated future land use informs the entire remedial process.1 Considering site reuse can: ¦ Inform the land use scenarios needed to perform risk assessments. ¦ Result in the selection and implementation of remedies that are consistent with reasonable future uses envisioned by communities. ¦ Help ensure long-term protectiveness by establishing site stewards who discourage inappropriate activities and assist with the implementation and enforcement of institutional controls needed to protect remedies, human health and the environment. Reuse planning can also improve relations between EPA and communities, help establish realistic stakeholder expectations and even result in remedial cost savings in some cases. Required Activity It is EPA policy to support, whenever practicable, the reuse of Superfund sites where EPA has lead responsibility, as stated in OSWER Directive 9355.7-19. Making it Work When to Use Reuse planning can begin during any stage of a cleanup, although timing prior to remedy selection offers the greatest opportunity to integrate anticipated future land use with cleanup planning. Once a site's remedy has been selected, reuse planning typically focuses on ensuring the compatibility of planned future site uses with the site's remedy, addressing potential redevelopment obstacles and developing long-term stewardship strategies. Reuse planning works well where there is significant community interest in the cleanup and future use of a site. At other sites, EPA staff can conduct interviews with key stakeholders and review community documents, including comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances, to identify a site's reasonably anticipated future land use(s). It is important to make sure that these documents are up to date and accurately reflect community goals and priorities. How to Use Broad community involvement and partnerships are vital cornerstones of successful reuse planning. EPA-supported Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) and technical advisors funded through EPA's Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) and Technical Assistance Services for Communities 1 OSWER Directive 9355.7-19, available online at: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recvcle/pdf/reusedirective.pdf — 1 ------- Reuse Planning (TASC) programs can be key participants. Engaging these representatives alongside community residents, business owners, community organizations, site owners, responsible parties, state agency staff and local government representatives establishes reuse planning's legitimacy and ensures that all interested parties have a voice in the process. EPA site staff can work with community organizations and local governments to ensure broad community representation in reuse planning processes. Reuse planning processes are scalable and flexible to address and reflect community needs, and may include workgroups and tools like design charrettes and community visioning. Community visioning is a particularly effective method which empowers communities through involvement in collaborative planning processes to review site and community information, develop future use scenarios, and create action plans for realizing those visions. Reuse planning projects can be hosted by local redevelopment authorities, community organizations and property owners, or coordinated among multiple stakeholder groups. Local governments often facilitate reuse planning efforts, gathering information and convening workgroups. Local governments can be well-suited to assist with reuse planning projects because they are responsible for communities" general welfare and quality of life. They can also facilitate the process of working with EPA, site owners and responsible parties to develop institutional controls and long- term stewardship strategies for sites. Reuse planning is a community-based process undertaken in close coordination with EPA. EPA site teams play key roles for reuse planning projects, providing technical expertise and serving as information resources. EPA site teams are also involved as advisors and reviewers, providing the community with site-focused input and feedback. This engagement by EPA ensures that all reuse planning outcomes are thoroughly grounded in an understanding of the Superfund process and a site's characteristics. In turn, this involvement ensures realistic community expectations for a site's reuse and provides EPA with the reasonably anticipated future land use information needed to inform a site's cleanup and long-term stewardship. Reuse planning is built on meaningful community engagement and effective information gathering. Key steps include: ¦ Identifying process and reuse goals, ground rules and decision-making. Broad community involvement ensures that community perspectives are well-represented and accurately reflect community goals for a site's future use. ¦ Gathering and analyzing site and community information. Reuse challenges and opportunities are both site-related and linked to local priorities and economic conditions. ¦ Developing reuse scenarios. Superfund site reuses range widely, from commercial, industrial and residential land uses to sports fields, parks and wildlife habitat. Some sites host innovative mixed-use developments; others support agriculture and renewable energy facilities. ¦ Seeking out public input and refining reuse plans. As site cleanup progresses and new community information becomes available, it may be necessary to update site reuse plans. Reuse planning works best when it is consensus- based: stakeholders working together to identify reuse opportunities, address challenges, and build common ground around shared decisions and preferred outcomes. At sites with complex issues and stakeholder conflict, EPA's Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center can offer a range of assistance, including training and facilitation services. More information is available at: www.epa.gov/adr. EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI) is EPA's national reuse planning resource for Superfund sites. Created in 1999, SRI's mission is to ensure that at every Superfund site, EPA and its partners have an effective process and the tools and information needed to return the country's most hazardous waste sites to productive use. Today, SRI works closely with EPA's 10 regional offices to identify Superfund sites that can benefit from reuse-related engagement and assistance. At these sites, SRI provides initial investments that help move sites toward reuse. As reuse efforts gain momentum, communities leverage these investments: local governments, organizations and other site stakeholders sustain redevelopment opportunities with additional public- and private-sector resources. 2 ------- Reuse Planning Training and resource materials developed by SRI are available at: www.epa. gov/superfund/programs/ recvcle/tools/trainings .html. Tips ¦ Define EPA's role and responsibilities to help establish realistic community expectations for site reuse. ¦ Involve stakeholders early and often. ¦ Communicate openly with the community. ¦ Recognize conflict and complexity as opportunities as well as challenges. ¦ Learn from others who have been involved in successful reuse planning. Attachments ¦ Attachment 1: Examples of Active Community Participation in Reuse Planning Successes Other Resources ¦ EPA community involvement and partnerships: www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/tools/ communitvpartnerships .html ¦ EPA Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center: www.epa.gov/adr ¦ EPA Land Revitalization Program: www.epa.gov/landrevitalization ¦ Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI): www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle ¦ Superfund reuse policy and guidance: www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/ policy/reuse .html ¦ Superfund reuse tools and resources: www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/tools Related Tools ¦ Community Groups ¦ Facilitation and Conflict Resolution ¦ Community Interviews ¦ Technical Assistance Services for Communities ¦ Community Visioning — 3 I ------- Attachment 1: Examples of Active Community Participation in Reuse Planning Successes Woolfolk Chemical Works Site, Fort Valley, Georgia The Woolfolk Chemical Works Superfund site is a 31-acre former pesticide manufacturing and packaging facility located in Fort Valley, Georgia. The site was placed on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) of contaminated sites in 1988. With the site located in the center of town, residents worried about its potential impact on their health and the local economy. To address these concerns, citizens, elected officials, state legislators, EPA site staff, state and county health representatives, and local business owners formed a multi-stakeholder land use committee known as the Woolfolk Alliance to regularly discuss the site's status and disseminate knowledge to the community. In 2006 and 2007, the group engaged in an SRI-supported reuse planning process. Through the reuse planning process, the Woolfolk Alliance has worked to integrate the site's cleanup with redevelopment, enabling reuse outcomes that are protective of human health and the environment. Representatives from the Woolfolk Citizens Response Group (WCRG) - the site's TAG recipient - served as Alliance members, playing a critical role in helping to shape project outcomes. WCRG representatives' institutional knowledge and local expertise proved invaluable in developing a detailed, realistic vision for the site's reuse. Today, several properties have been transformed into office space, a welcome center and a 15,000-square-foot public library. The community is also continuing to work with EPA to integrate local reuse priorities as part of the cleanup for remaining areas of the site. In 2010, Woolfolk Alliance Group won the Citizen Excellence in Community Involvement Award. This award is presented annually to an individual or a community group working with a Superfund team for outstanding achievements in the field of environmental protection. The Woolfolk Alliance Group was recognized for its commitment and dedication to the Ft. Valley, Georgia communities affected by the Woolfolk Chemical Works, Inc. site. The dedication of the Woolfolk Alliance Group is unparalleled, and is evidenced by the majority of the founding members remaining active in the group for over ten years. For more information, please see SRI's fact sheet (www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/pdf/ rtu09_woolfolk.pdf) and video (www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/info/aftersf.html) documenting the site's reuse. Eastland Woolen Mill Site, Corinna, Maine Faced with a significant loss of jobs and a contaminated property when the 21-acre Eastland Woolen Mill closed in 1996, the Town of Corinna, Maine, sought assistance from EPA and the State of Maine to address the contamination left behind by the mill and to integrate cleanup with local planning for the revitalization of downtown Corinna. The site was placed on the NPL in 1999. The proposed relocation and reconstruction of Main Street as part of the remedy sparked tremendous local interest in redevelopment planning at the site. EPA provided an SRI reuse planning grant to the community and the planning process was guided by the Corinna New Beginning Committee, which includes citizens, business representatives and town officials. The committee meets monthly to discuss the site's progress and ensure that residents are kept informed. To date, the former Eastland Woolen Mill has been removed, Main Street has been relocated, the East Branch of the Sebasticook River has been restored and 115,000 tons of contaminated soil have been removed. Every step of the way, EPA, state agencies, the Town of Corinna and local stakeholders have worked together to accomplish a cleanup that optimizes the reuse potential of the site. Today, a 20-unit senior housing facility is located on a portion of the site. Additionally, a historic building was relocated on ------- Reuse Planning * J V V — V X. 1— site and is now in productive reuse as a country store and restaurant. A subdivision plan for a village-style development and green space along the river was approved in 2006, and in 2008, a public bandstand was built in the green space. A recreational boardwalk now extends through downtown Corinna. The transformed site is a testament to the success of close partnerships and the critical role that reuse planning and planning grants can have on the revitalization of a community. For more information, please see SRI's site reuse fact sheet: www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/ pdf/EastlandWoolenMill .pdf Avtex Fibers Site, Front Royal, Virginia For more than 45 years, the 440-acre Avtex Fibers plant manufactured rayon, polyester and polypropylene fibers for commercial, defense and space industries until operations ceased in 1989. In June 1986, EPA listed the site on the NPL. To ensure the site's cleanup and redevelopment in a manner consistent with local needs and facilitate public participation, EPA, state agencies, the local economic development authority and the site owner convened a multi-stakeholder group. Supported by an SRI reuse planning grant, the group has provided a forum where diverse parties can consider site-related issues critical to the future of the area. Group members include local officials, community members, environmental and business group representatives, and municipal planners. Participants developed a redevelopment plan that divided the site into three areas: a 240-acre river conservancy park, a 3 5-acre soccer field complex, and a 165-acre eco-business park called the Royal Phoenix. The Skyline Soccerplex opened at the site in September 2006 and the historic former Avtex administration building has been returned to use as office space. Redevelopment efforts for the 165-acre eco-business park are underway, and are scheduled for completion in 2013. For more information, please see EPA's site reuse fact sheet: www.epa.gov/superfund/accomp/success/ pdf/avtex.pdf — 5 I ------- |