HOW TO USE BROWNFIELDS FUNDING Presented by Debra Love Project Manager What is a Brownfield Site? “Real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” Likely Locations of Brownfields Low Income Communities Communities Unattractive Inner of Color Property City Neighborhoods Former Industrial and Commercial Corridors Brownfields Problems and Issues Risk to investors and developers due to threat of contamination Property High value impacted concentration of crime Environmental Health conditions issues due to contamination Brownfields Problems and Issues Risk to investors and developers due to threat of contamination Property High value impacted concentration of crime Environmental Health conditions issues due to contamination Best Practices for a Successful Brownfield Program 1. Strong Commitment from the Mayor of City 2. Carefully Select Brownfield Advisory Board 3. Community Outreach and Training 4. Work Closely with Brownfield Advisory Board to Select Sites for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments 5. Obtain Technical Assistance 6. Work Closely with State Environmental Agency 7. Work Closely with Regional Environmental Protection Agency Best Practices for a Successful Brownfield Program (cont) Profile Your Community Develop Master Strategic Plan Solicit government and political support Develop Marketing and Outreach Plan Adapt to the Technological Times Know relevant laws and regulations Best Practices for a Successful Brownfield Program (cont) Manage economic, environmental and legal risks Always keep community informed and involved Plan for the long haul Be creative about potential uses Improve the health of the community Promote smart growth Promote economic growth Create new jobs Empower the community Benefit businesses Always address the community needs Brownfield Solutions Identify Stakeholders City Governments Communities Site Owners Environmental Regulators Investors Consultants Developers Public Private or for profit Nonprofit Current Brownfields Grant Opportunities Brownfields Assessment Grant $200,000 Hazardous Substances $200,000 Petroleum Substances $1 million for coalitions of 3 or more applicants Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund $1,000,000 Funding to establish a revolving fund to provide no/low interest loans or subgrants to pay for site cleanup Brownfields Cleanup Grant $200,000 Applicant must own the site at time of proposal submission The proposal deadline is November 28, 2011 . Brownfields Grant Opportunities Brownfields Job Training Grant $300,000 Brownfields Resources Community Visioning Target Brownfields Assessment Area Wide Planning Grant Before After New Social Security Building • 587,000 Square Foot Office Complex • 2,200 Employees • $100 million building • Built in Partnership by Opus South Corp of Atlanta and GSA • Building leased from Opus for 20 years • Achieved Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design • Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council Selma, Alabama Brownfield Success Story Former All-Lock Property Background 1. Donated to City: 1998 2. Appraised Value: $3.5m (Approx.) 3. 150,000 Sq. Ft. Under Roof 4. 50 Acres 5. Gift Included: $250,000 Cash and Lease Terms for 2 Years Back to Owner 6. Contamination Acknowledged to City Former All-Lock Property Problems ~ Issues ~ Dilemmas 1. Groundwater and soil contaminated with chlorinated solvents (i.e. Trichloroethylene and Perchloroethylene) 2. City spent five (5) years monitoring groundwater contamination and spent $250,000 gift + 3. City spent two (2) years performing environmental assessments on groundwater and soil outside EPA Brownfields Program Former All-Lock Property Strategies and Solutions Formed Consultant Relationship with Environmental Specialist Worked Closely with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Brownfields Division Entered Former All-Lock Property into the State of Alabama Voluntary Cleanup Program Obtained the Highest Technical Assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency Community Involvement through Brownfields Advisory Board Educational Training for the Community • SUCCESS 1. November 2003--Entered Site into State of Alabama Voluntary Cleanup Program. 2. February 2004--Asked for Highest Technical Assistance from EPA Region IV. 3. May 2004--Identified Corporate Prospect. 4. June 2004--Indoor Air Study Conducted to determine if volatile solvents were entering into the building from the groundwater contamination. 5. July 2004-- Results from Indoor Air Study: No volatile organics were detected above the limits established by OSHA. 6. July 2004--Building Leased to Meadowcraft Corporation. 7. August 2004--125 jobs created in the City of Selma. BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM Prichard’s Demographics Consists of roughly 25.4 square miles in Mobile County Population: 28,633 (2006 Census data estimates) Median Income City of Prichard: $19,544 State of Alabama: $34,135 Unemployment Rate City of Prichard: 15.1% State of Alabama: 10.4% Divided into 4 distinct areas: East Prichard -oldest part of the city Eight Mile-largest and least developed Kushala-largely undeveloped area Whistler-Small area and home of several antebellum houses and historical sites Problems / Issues / Dilemmas Reduced Workforce Numerous Brownfields Sites Lack of financial resources – Reduced tax base – Lack of resources for grant writers – Lack of resources for matching funds Infrastructure Problems – Sewer Issues – Drinking Water Issues Strategies and Solutions Formed a partnership with the Prichard Environmental Restoration Keepers (PERK) Applied for an EPA Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grant and awarded in November 2009 Identified numerous Brownfields sites Submitted grant application on October 15, 2010 for $400,000 to perform environmental site assessments on Brownfields sites. The City of Prichard was the only city awarded in 2011 for an environmental assessment grant in the state of Alabama The City of Prichard conducted a labor market survey and hundreds of trained environmental technicians are needed in the area. In order to create jobs, the City of Prichard will submit a Brownfields Job Training Grant Application to the EPA for $300,000. The City of Prichard will apply for a CARE Level II to address the top environmental issues identified by the citizens. The City of Prichard’s CARE Program Accomplishments Created Community and Citizen Partnerships Created Business Partnerships Created Partnerships with Local, State and Federal Agencies Conducted outreach in all communities in Prichard Regular Community Meetings Training Secured public opinion on environmental problems The City of Prichard’s CARE Program Accomplishments Created Community and Citizen Partnerships Created Business Partnerships Created Partnerships with Local, State and Federal Agencies Conducted outreach in all communities in Prichard Regular Community Meetings Training Secured public opinion on environmental problems Partners Environmental Protection Agency Prichard Environmental Restoration Keepers (PERK) Mobile County Health Department Prichard Water and Sewer Alabama Department of Environmental Management Prichard’s Housing Authority s Light of the Village Christian Academy Alabama Community Action Agency Mobile Community Action Agency Army Corps of Engineer Alabama Asthma Coalition Mount Calvary Baptist Church New Light Missionary Baptist Church Alabama Clean Water Partnership Mobile County Master Gardner Association Partners Alabama A&M University Progressive Men of Whistler Minister Alliance University of South Alabama SMC Associates, LLC Tennessee State University Antioch Baptist Church, Prichard, AL Corporate Environmental Risk Management Volkert, Inc. Environmental Staffing Spherion Recruiting and Staffing Severn Trent Services Aerotek Community Concerns Seafood Safety Standing water in ditches and yards Excessive use of chemicals to kill weeds Abandon houses Rats, mice and roaches Trash in watershed and streams Brownfields sites Lead in houses Flooding Chinese Dry Wall in houses Erosion Pot holes Air Quality Community Concerns Impaired streams – Bacteria – 8 Mile Creek, 3.2 miles – Gumtree Branch, 2.2 miles Sanitary sewer overflows Failing septic systems Urban runoff Drinking water Sewer Smells from Chemical Plant Abandoned cars sitting in yards Illegal dumps Wetland issues surrounding sea life Landfills Trash in watershed and streams Asbestos in homes and commercial buildings Community Assets University of Mobile located in City of Prichard 150 acres of City-owned land designated as Africatown Park Plenty of developable land available (both undeveloped land or greenfields and vacant undeveloped properties) Long term businesses (hardware, BBQ, Jack’s Tires) Renewal Community in Downtown Prichard Empowerment Zone for the U.S. HUD and ADECA Unique historic and cultural resources Political will necessary to facilitate public-private cooperation and create City incentives to attract new development Close to Mobile Environmental Concerns identified and ranked by the Citizens of Prichard to have the greatest risk and impact 1. Standing Water In Ditches and Yards 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Drinking Water Pot Holes Abandon Houses Sewer Illegal Dumps Sanitary Sewer Overflows Trash in Watershed and Streams Flooding Failing Septic Systems Abandoned Cars Sitting in Yards Rats, Mice and Roaches Environmental Concerns identified and ranked by the Citizens of Prichard to have the greatest risk and impact 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Brownfields Sites Chinese Dry Wall in Homes Urban Runoff Landfills Lead Impaired Streams Wetland Issues Surround Sea life Erosion Air Quality Asbestos Smells from Chemical Plant Seafood Safety Excessive use of chemicals to kill weeds CARE Community Meeting CARE Community Meeting Jeff McCool-Alabama Department of Public Health (Seafood Branch) City of Prichard HAZWOPER TRAINING CLASS HAZWOPER 40 HR Class Leveraging Financial and Other Resources BP HAZWOPER Classes for Gulf Coast Oil Spill Cleanup $54,538.47 City of Prichard HAZWOPER Classes for Gulf Coast Oil Spill Cleanup $ 28,350.00 US Army Corps of Engineers (Mobile District) GIS Training $ 1368.00 SMC Associates, LLC Alternative Energy Technical Assistance $250.00 EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant $400,000.00 National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Grant and In-kind Contributions $45,350.00 Total Leveraged Amount $529,856.47 Anniston, Alabama Brownfields Job Training Program Brownfields Job Training Program Curriculum Life Skills HAZWOPER 40 Hour OSHA 30 Hour Confined Space First Aid-CPR Environmental Sampling Heavy Equipment (Forklift) Lead Worker Asbestos Worker NIMS 100, 200, 700 and 800 HAZWOPER 40 HR Environmental Sampling Environmental Sampling Environmental Sampling Class OSHA Training Class Responses from Students Working on the Gulf Coast The City of Anniston’s Brownfields Job Training Program has given me the ability to work on the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Project. The certifications I received have kept me employed and strengthened my resume. Terry Riggins City of Anniston Brownfields Job Training Program Prichard, Alabama Conducted 40 HR HAZWOPER Classes for Citizens – Results: Reduced high unemployment rate and crime rate City of Prichard HAZWOPER 40 HR Class City of Prichard Environmental Justice Class Questions Contact Information: Debra Love Environmental Technical Advisor and Project Manager careprogram@thecityofprichard.org dhllab@aol.com 251-583-4648 or 205-540-2806
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