Meet your EPA Region 10 brownfields team
Maybe you want to turn an industrial eyesore into a thriving commercial hub or convert a polluted piece of land into a recreational trail. Or perhaps you’ve got an abandoned gas station or an old landfill on your hands and you don’t know what to do.
No matter how big or small your brownfields project, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 10 brownfields team is here to help. They provide technical assistance and help find funding for projects throughout Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. “We are really interested in helping in any way we can,” said Susan Morales, a brownfields team member working out of EPA’s Seattle office.
Over the years, the team has worked with dozens of local governments and nonprofits—as well as developers and private investors—turning ugly, seemingly unusable land into gleaming showcases of inspired economic development.
Morales says because EPA is known for enforcing environmental regulations, some may be hesitant to seek out the federal agency for help with a brownfield for fear of being held liable for contamination. But she points out that the brownfields team doesn’t seek out contaminated sites. They provide the expert advice—and millions of dollars in loans and grants—only to those who ask for assistance.
“It’s an opportunity program,” says Morales.
And that program has handed out upwards of $40 million in loans and grants in the four-state region since 1995. In the past, that money was earmarked for assessing the land to determine the level of contamination. In 2002, Congress passed an amendment making it easier to clean up brownfields with assessment and cleanup grants.
It’s not just about the money, though. Taking on a brownfield can be a challenge, and that’s where the expertise is priceless. “The team really works one on one with the grantees to walk them through the process,” Morales says. “It’s putting together the work plan, incorporating the requirements and getting technical assistance as well as rounding up the right resources.”
The core Region 10 brownfields team includes Morales, who specializes in working with Indian tribes. She’s at 206-553-7299 or morales.susan@epamail.epa.gov. Other key players on the Region 10 team:
Tim Brincefield, based in Seattle, coordinates regional efforts with EPA’s Washington, D.C. office. He’s at 206-553-2100 or brincefield.timothy@epamail.epa.gov.
Anne McCauley, who previously worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is especially knowledgeable about cleanup grants. She’s at 206-553-4689 or mccauley.anne@epamail.epa.gov.
Laura Caparroso focuses on job-training grants. The grants assist local governments and nonprofits in training local workers to help with cleanup work, boosting community involvement-and the economy-at the same time. She’s at 206-553-6378 or caparroso.laura@epamail.epa.gov.
Brooks Stanfield specializes in community involvement. He’s at 206-553-4423 or Brooks Stanfield specializes in community involvement. He’s at 206-553-4423 or stanfield.brooks@epamail.epa.gov.
Deborah Burgess works out of the Washington state Department of Ecology building in Olympia and serves as a liaison between EPA and the state. She’s at 360-753-9079 or burgess.deborah@epamail.epa.gov.
Mike Slater works out of EPA’s Portland office. He serves as a liaison with the state of Oregon. He also is an authority on statutes that apply to brownfield sites where waste is still being created, transported or stored. He’s at 503-326-5872 or slater.mike@epamail.epa.gov.
Joanne LaBaw is a lead for Targeted Brownfield Assessments, a technical service that EPA staffers offer eligible applicants. She’s at 206-553-2594 or labaw.joanne@epamail.epa.gov.
