Last month’s Alaska news item noted that Alaska tribes are not eligible for competitive EPA Brownfield grants and described efforts by DEC to provide tribal communities with Brownfield site assessments through other means.  DEC does this through its DBA program modeled on the EPA’s Targeted Brownfield Assessments. To date, about 70 DBAs have been undertaken all over the state. In addition to Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, they often provide funds for cleanup plans and limited remediation.

The process DEC uses to solicit applications starts with the announcement of the open application period. The agency team then actively pursues applicants, specifically alerting tribal communities with Brownfield properties in need of attention. The 13 Tribal Response Programs in Alaska are a prime source for applications.

After the application period has ended, DEC personnel assist applicants to provide the necessary information that helps determine whether a project is eligible for funding. This keeps the small DEC Brownfields team very busy, often working with remote communities over a large geographical area.

In the DBA solicitation period just ended, seven applications, far fewer than last year’s record of 29, were received. One reason for this decline was the exclusion of state-owned or state-interest properties from the applicant pool. Of the applications received in 2009, 11 were for state-related properties. These sites are now being addressed through another prioritization process operating under an agreement between DEC and the other state agencies. Additionally, two applications were received after the deadline and are being referred to the EPA TBA program.

According to DEC staff, the smaller number of requests for assistance is a reflection of the increase in the quality of the applications received.  For a variety of reasons, in 2009, not all the applicants received funding.  This year, the agency hopes to fund all the requests. DEC personnel also believe that communities eligible to apply for DBAs have become more aware of the need for an end use scenario as part of an acceptable application. Another reason for the smaller number of applicants is the general economic downturn, which affects prospects for site reuse.

Of the seven DBA requests received this year, three are for vacant school sites that communities would like to convert to another purpose. DEC hopes to provide funds for assessments and future cleanup plans. Another community submitted an area-wide DBA request that includes a former fuel-storage property where a new store is planning to locate. Although tanks have already been removed, additional assessment and possible cleanup of contaminated soil is needed before construction begins.  For all these sites, DEC is helping applicants gather more information to estimate the level of funding required.

It should be noted that funding for the DBAs selected in this recent application period has not yet been determined. The DBA program operates under the state response program funded by the EPA. The process of performing the DBAs proceeds only after DEC considers all the applications to determine the level of funding to request from the EPA. Work on the sites granted assessments will then start after July 1.

In addition to undertaking new projects, DEC staff hope to receive sufficient  funding to provide additional assistance to projects with which they were involved in the past that require more redevelopment help. Less demand for new site work may help revisiting old sites more feasible.

DEC has developed a website that catalogs the work done under the DBA program.  It contains a comprehensive listing of Brownfields projects throughout the state and offers future applicants and interested parties helpful links and Brownfield resources. Project descriptions showcase the diversity of Brownfield sites found in Alaska. The website can be accessed here.

For more information about the DBA program, DEC’s Brownfields programs or the website, contact:

Sonja L. Benson
Contaminated Sites Program
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
907-451-2156
sonja.benson@alaska.gov

Teton Creek is part of the Upper Teton Watershed that straddles the border between Idaho and Wyoming. A portion of Teton Creek near Driggs, Idaho was badly destabilized over a 20-year period by human alterations that have increased the threat of flooding and property damage. From around 1983 to 2004, a developer had illegally dredged the creek and filled in other areas, reshaping the creek claiming this would protect development in the area from flooding. In the early 1990s, the Army Corps of Engineers prosecuted the developer for violation of the Clean Water Act and put an end to the creek’s modifications.

However, the modifications to the creek has caused stream banks to fail, upstream streambed to collapse and started a domino effect of erosion that continues to advance upstream. The migrating erosion has compromised fish habitat, water quality, riparian vegetation and the creek channel’s ability to dissipate flood energy. The threat of flooding along the damaged one-mile section of the creek has actually increased due to the deepening and straightening of the channel by the developer.

In 2006, a group of Teton Creek stakeholders including landowners, developers and government agencies, approached the Friends of Teton River (FTR) with their concerns. The FTR was formed in 2000 as a research group to study fisheries in the Upper Teton Watershed. By 2005 the FTR had expanded its mission to include restoration work on streams and rivers of the Watershed. The FTR responded to the stakeholders’ request for assistance by forming a committee to collaboratively assess, stabilize and restore the sections of Teton Creek damaged by the developer. The FTR has since spearheaded the regionally and nationally-recognized $2.5 million restoration project and has garnered a broad base of community, state and federal support.

Brownfields restoration became part of the story when planners became concerned about the proximity of a closed county landfill to the section of the creek being restored and whether restoration efforts would disturb the landfill’s contents. Another pressing issue was the possibility of t leachate or other contamination being released into the creek as it eroded into the landfill.  The landfill and the complications it presented became the number one priority for the FTR.

After an inquiry by the executive director of the FTR about possible Brownfields funding, the DEQ agreed to assist the efforts in the form of Site Specific Assessments funded through the agency’s Brownfields Assessment Program. The Phase I site assessment led to Phase II that included excavations to evaluate the aerial extent, thickness and content of the landfill debris, and collection and analysis of environmental samples. Monitoring wells were installed to determine groundwater flow.

The findings of the assessments supported the design of the restoration plan. DEQ remained involved throughout the project’s planning phase, helping   experts design a plan that would allow the restoration to be implemented without disturbing the landfill.  The result was avoidance of costly remediation of the landfill.

Phase One of the Teton Creek restoration began in the fall of 2009 as FTR worked with consultants, engineers, the Idaho DEQ and other governmental agencies. Fieldwork completed to date includes the construction of a stable channel; bank stabilization; fish habitat creation; and floodplain stabilization with native plants. The total project is expected to involve several phases and will progress, as funds are available.

For more information about this project, contact:

Aaron Scheff
Brownfields Program Manager
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
208-373-0420
aaron.scheff@deq.idaho.gov

The challenge to all conference planners is to present information that engages the interests of a wide range of attendees. This is particularly true of our rapidly maturing Brownfields industry where many of the practitioners are past the “101” phase.  Keeping that in mind, Oregon conference organizers sought to create an educational event that meets the more advanced needs of seasoned Brownfields professionals while also offering valuable information to newcomers. The agenda highlights discrete parts of Brownfield projects with  case studies to demonstrate how those pieces come together to create a successful Brownfield redevelopment.

The conference will begin with concurrent plenary sessions presenting two successful Oregon Brownfields project case studies. Subsequent sessions will focus on specific elements raised by the case studies and   tools and practices used by those working in the Brownfields industry to address those issues.

The first case study illustrates the complexities of a large former industrial site, that overcame the stigma of being designated a Superfund site. The project is an example of a successful public/private partnership initiated by a local government.

The second case study is about the redevelopment of a smaller site with more private sector involvement than the first example.  It shows the many directions a Brownfields project can take and how the team of players can evolve over time.  Both cases illustrate the complexities involved in ascertaining varying levels of environmental liability; building a Brownfields team; negotiating the “deal” and integrating such projects into wider community planning efforts.

Now a Conference tradition, the Third Oregon Brownfields Awards Program Presentation will take place during lunch on the first day of the conference. The awards recognize completed Oregon Brownfields projects that showcase outstanding achievements in Brownfields redevelopment in the state.

Conferees also can attend a session hosted by EPA Region 10 on tips for writing successful EPA Brownfields grant applications. This presentation is always popular with newcomer and “old hands” alike…

The lunch speaker on the second day of the conference is State Representative Lew Frederick.  He chairs the House Sustainability and Economic Development Committee and has shown a personal interest in Brownfields redevelopment.

Following lunch, the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) will offer a financing workshop featuring Charlie Bartsch. Charlie is a well known Brownfields expert who is credited with coining the term “Brownfield” over 15 years ago.  This workshop will cover the creative ways of meeting the always-challenging aspects of how to pay for Brownfields redevelopment. Participants will hear about how to use the goals of the project as a guide when integrating various funding sources over the life of a project.

In addition to the workshops and meetings, conference l attendees will have ample networking opportunities to exchange ideas and meet with experienced Brownfields professionals.  Registration for the Conference is available online at www.nebc.org.

Scholarships to cover registration costs that may also include housing are available to qualifying applicants.  For more information, contact Karen Homolac at karen.homolac@state.or.us or download a scholarship application form.

The Foss Waterway is a master planned waterfront community in downtown Tacoma formerly a thriving, bustling, heavily populated industrial center.  The area was created over a hundred years ago by the railroads that filled in part of the waterway to create flat, developable land at the foot of the Tacoma hills. Similar to other situations all over the country, over time, the industrial users declined, leaving vacant buildings and the contaminated properties now called Brownfields.

In the early 1990s, the City of Tacoma purchased much of the properties and began transforming the area into a mixed-used waterfront community. The Thea Foss Development Authority was created in 1996 to manage the planning and redevelopment of the 1.5-mile shoreline and its associated properties. Guidance for the area’s redevelopment came from the Tacoma Shoreline Master Plan and the growth management goals of the City, both requiring that natural areas, or green space be created in the Waterway development.

The Development Authority and the City chose to purchase and develop into a park a privately-owned 1.4-acre site along the Waterway’s esplanade. They were well aware of the challenge and expense of redeveloping a contaminated property into green space and the concurrent lack the return on investment that is an incentive to private Brownfields redevelopment.  In order to make the project viable, they sought assistance from the Department of Ecology (Ecology).

Ecology became involved in the early 2000s by performing an RP (responsible party) search and investigating the possibilities presented by insurance archeology. However, neither path produced positive results. The only asset of the private owner was the land itself and there were no operative insurance policies that could cover reimbursement for the needed cleanup. Ecology then took the step of funding the work through the Clean Sites Initiative, whose purpose is to remediate “orphan” sites where either there is no responsible party or the liable parties do not have adequate resources.

The Phase II environmental site assessment revealed the property to be contaminated with heavy hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Ecology assumed that the contamination could be traced to a former coal gasification facility upland from the future park. PAH contamination is common in areas where sludge-like by-products of a gasification process were used as fill material.

By chance, the site’s owner found an old newspaper article from the 1920s that indicated a company called Standard Chemical had been located on the property. This led to a photo search at the state history museum that uncovered fascinating photographs of the facility that had been taken by a local photographer, Marvin Boland, who lived in Tacoma from 1915 until his death in 1950.

The photos were useful to Ecology in the site investigation and subsequent cleanup. For example, a photo showing large tanks on a wharf on the property led to the discovery of “hot spots” of contamination in the sediments underneath.

The cleanup took place in the winter of 2002-2003 at a total cost of $3 million, considered a reasonable cost, considering the complexity of the site and the in-water work required. In the years since, the City has funded and overseen shoreline restoration and the creation of wildlife habitat at the park. Additional funding for the project has been received from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office and the Washington Department of Transportation.

To pay for the upkeep of the park, the Development Authority collects fees from the landowners of the development through assessments related to their land titles. This somewhat unique mechanism does not require taxpayer support.

Other interesting aspects of the park are huge trellises constructed from salvaged Douglas fir timbers that date back to the early 1900s. The timbers were recovered from a mile- long warehouse at the Port of Tacoma that was deconstructed after being damaged by the earthquake of 2002.

As a postscript to this story, the Clean Sites Initiative that funded the bulk of the cleanup has unfortunately fallen victim to Washington’s state budget shortfalls. It is unknown when funds may be readily available for the state-lead cleanups funded by Ecology or through grants to local governments.

For more information about this story, contact:

Marv Coleman, Site Manager/Inspector
Toxics Cleanup Program, SWRO
P.O. Box 47775
Olympia, WA 98504-7775
360-407-6259
mcol461@ecy.wa.gov

The 2010 AFE, taking place February 8 through 12, is the 12^th annual conference that brings together state, local, federal, military, private, and native leaders to discuss the latest matters dealing with the unique physical and policy environment of Alaska. Included in the 80 breakout sessions, the AFE film series, keynote events, and workshops are those of interest to Brownfield professionals and stakeholders.

First, on Tuesday, February 9, the EPA and DEC will lead a session on their respective assessment programs in the state: EPA’s Targeted Brownfield Assessments (TBAs) and DEC’s Brownfield Assessment (DBA) program. The DEC’s DBA program is especially active conducting assessments for Alaska communities. Of the 230 tribal communities in the state, only one Alaska tribe is eligible to apply for federal EPA assessment grants. This differs from tribes in the lower 48 due to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and how the ownership of native lands was resolved. The exemption from the EPA competitive grant program creates greater economic hurdles to redeveloping Brownfields in Alaska’s tribal communities.

[Note: The DEC Brownfield Assessment (DBA) request period is now open. The deadline for receipt of DBA requests is February 19, 2010. For more information, visit: http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/csp/brownfields.htm#assess.]

On Wednesday, February 10, DEC and EPA will be joined by three Alaska Tribal Response Program coordinators in a joint presentation on Brownfields in Alaska. The EPA and DEC representatives will talk about how they are supporting Brownfield projects across the state, including their work helping TRPs set up and build capacity in their Brownfield programs. TRP coordinators will make presentations about their activities with Brownfields in their communities, including using TRP resources to develop their Brownfield inventories and identify sources of assistance for Brownfield redevelopment projects. TRPs participating in the presentation include the Kuskokwim River Watershed Council, the Organized Village of Kasaan, and the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe.

Brownfield activity funding, always a major topic when talking about Brownfields, resurfaces Thursday the 11 when DEC will host an all-day workshop, co-sponsored by the Alaska Forum, for state and tribal Brownfield program leaders. Representatives from all 13 TRPs are expected to attend.

Though not completely focused on funding, the workshop will have many funding resource experts in attendance besides those from EPA and DEC. The Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR), through its Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) program, is sending well-known Brownfield redevelopment expert, Ignacio Dayrit, to make a short presentation on Brownfield funding.  Dayrit also will be on hand all day to provide specific one-on-one Brownfield funding advice. Cathy Villa from EPA’s Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (IGAP) will speak about collaboration between EPA’s IGAP and Brownfields programs. Additionally, Janet Davis from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development will provide information about how to use Community Development Block Grants for the redevelopment of Brownfield projects. Another presenter, Stan Tomaszewski, Brownfield coordinator for the Maniilaq Association, based in Kotzebue, will talk about how Maniilaq is coordinating its Brownfield inventory with a recycling and backhaul program.

For additional more information about the Forum, the workshop or other aspects of EPA’s and DEC’s Alaska Brownfield programs, contact:

John Carnahan
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
907-451-2166
john.carnahan@alaska.gov

Sonja Benson
DEC Reuse & Redevelopment Program
907-451-2156
sonja.benson@alaska.gov

Deborah Williams, Brownfield Program Specialist
907-451-5174
deborah.williams@alaska.gov

Susan Morales, EPA Brownfields Region 10 Coordinator and Alaska Lead
Seattle, WA
206-553-7299
morales.susan@epa.gov

Mary Goolie, EPA Brownfields Project Manager
Anchorage, AK
907-271-3414
goolie.mary@epa.gov

Successful Brownfield redevelopment projects often start with a vision. That’s certainly true of a project in Boise where one man’s vision and persistence is helping turn an unused, dilapidated building into a much needed space for children’s performing and visual arts. The project illustrates how fulfilling that vision often requires overcoming complex and costly obstacles.

Jon Swarthout had driven by the old stone building in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boise for years. A native of the city, his memories of this “place of mystery” went back to his childhood. Now, as Founder and Artistic Director of the Treasure Valley Institute for the Arts (TrICA), Jon wondered from time to time if the building would be the perfect place for his arts education center as well as a performance space. Built as a Methodist church in 1907, the building had been converted into an apartment building. More recently, it was unoccupied, boarded up and fenced off.

Driving past a few years ago, Jon stopped to talk with someone he soon found to be the owner of the building. This began a two year friendship between the two men, ultimately leading to the property owner’s agreement to sell the building for renovation to the children’s art center.

As TrICA was being formed, Jon purchased the property with a private loan.  However the transaction did not undergo the level of due diligence normally required from professional lenders. He was aware the property had structural challenges but did not know of all the contamination subsequently found to be present. In addition to lead-based paint, the building contained the remnants of contamination from a former drug lab.  According to Jon, the cost of assessment, remediation and renovation was quite a shock. At the time, he was not aware of Brownfields or the programs possibly available to help.

Coincidentally, Keith Donohue, former Brownfields Coordinator for the Idaho DEQ, introduced Jon to the world of Brownfield tools. Keith serves on TrICA’s Board of Directors where his children are students.  Keith advised Jon where he might find assistance to fund the Brownfield-related work the building needed as he prepared to formally transfer the property to TrICA.

Taking Keith’s advice, Jon began working with various entities to help with the building’s restoration. The Idaho DEQ provided $36,000 in funding from its Site Specific Assessment program to pay for an assessment and cleanup plans and related activities, such as structural improvements to the building’s interior.  The ASTM Phase I assessment that was completed as part of this work provided much needed information about the property but also helped TrICA qualify as a Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser, thus protecting them from future liability and making them eligible for Brownfields cleanup funding.

The structural work is being paid for as a part of the remediation whose funding is from an EPA-funded Revolving Loan Fund managed by Sage Community Resources one of Idaho’s economic development agencies. The building’s designation as an endangered historic place helped attract funds for roof repairs from the Trust for Historic Preservation.

The project is closing in on completion of phase one, resulting in a stabilized and remediated shell. TrICA will then embark on completing phase two, an extensive design and renovation of the building’s interior. Efforts have already begun to raise the $4 million needed to fund this work, allowing for the building’s reopening in the summer of 2010.

As an added bonus, the project will be eligible for Idaho’s Community Reinvestment Pilot Initiative created to entice property owners to participate in the Voluntary Cleanup Program. The Initiative offers rebates of up to $150,000 in cleanup costs to qualifying projects.

A related story about Jon and his dream may be found here.

For more information about this project, contact:

Aaron Scheff, Brownfields Program Manager
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
208-373-0420
aaron.scheff@deq.idaho.gov

Camp Adair was a US Army training facility from 1942 to 1946, giving rise to nearby Adair Village, built to serve the 45,000 people stationed at the camp at the height of World War II.  In the 1960s, the site of present day Adair Village was part of a US Air Force SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) radar facility.  Following the facility’s closure by the US government in the 1970s, Camp Adair was used by successive owners as a mill site. When the most recent mill owner ceased operation in 1981, the property was divided into three segments, with 128 acres donated to the community of Adair Village. This occurred after the cleanup of the wood preservative pentachlorophenol, left by the mill’s operations, was accomplished. The state made a No Further Action determination in 1991 that applied only to the cleanup of pentachlorophenol.

The portion of the mill property owned by the City is not contiguous to other Adair Village property, posing a challenge to redevelopment. Another problem is that the site has limited access and insufficient transportation routes and infrastructure.

In 1997, the Oregon DEQ reopened its file for the site, recommending further assessment based on possible dioxin contamination associated with pentachlorophenol use. In 2003, the EPA performed a Targeted Brownfield Assessment that revealed previously undiscovered dioxin contamination in two ponds on the property. The report recommended that more assessment be undertaken to adequately estimate the extent and location of this additional contamination.

The site has attracted the attention of several state agencies that have come together to move the site towards redevelopment. The Department of State Lands has had some wetlands delineation involvement at the site. The state’s economic development agency, Business Oregon, has funded additional assessment and an enhanced, though limited, phase II environmental site assessment. The DEQ continues to work with the city on overcoming barriers to redevelopment.

Business Oregon has also worked with the City to create a vision for the end-use of the property, an important component of any Brownfield project. This will make it easier for the City to acquire funding for assessment and cleanup and attract a potential developer. One possibility is a conceptual plan involving light industrial development that will attract jobs to the area. To that end, the City has discussed designating the site as a County Enterprise Zone, if the Benton County Enterprise Zone expands to rural areas.  It is currently zoned “rural industrial.”

City leaders believe there are many positive aspects to the site. As the sole owner, the City is already in control of the property, eliminating one of the most common obstacles to redevelopment. There is a major rail line on the eastern border of the site. The property is situated 1/2 mile from Highway 99, a major north-south transportation route. There are wetlands on the property that could be incorporated into a reuse scenario, the site is adjacent to a wildlife sanctuary, and there are no nearby neighbors.

Despite these assets, the site remains challenged. Part of that challenge is now coming from the economic downturn affecting all Brownfield redevelopment efforts. The project is also competing with other city priorities for funding and other resources of manpower and time. It should also be noted that the site is not completely idle, with a couple of uncontaminated acres being leased to a recycling facility. That represents a viable path for the city to take in redeveloping the entire site, the parcelization of the site, redeveloping or selling uncontaminated areas, the proceeds of which are used to fund further redevelopment. However, in order to do this, more assessment is needed to determine which areas are “clean” and which are not.

In 2008, Adair Village applied for an EPA Brownfield Assessment grant with the help of an environmental consultant. Unfortunately, the application was not funded. Plans are underway to reapply in the 2011 grant cycle.

The site remains a work in progress. The city is very interested in redevelopment but with the limitations on funds and no clear path forward, the site still faces considerable obstacles. The hope is that the site will attract the attention of someone or some entity who will champion redevelopment and that an economic recovery will make redevelopment of the site more attractive. There also is the hope of additional assessment funding from the EPA or the state.

For more information on this Brownfield site, contact:

Drew Foster, City Administrator
City of Adair Village
541-745-5507
drew.foster@adairvillage.org

Mary Camarata, ERT Representative
Oregon DEQ
541-687-7435
camarata.mary@deq.state.or.us

Integrated Planning Grants were created to assist communities with two major aspects of Brownfield projects. First, they fund assessments a city can use to perform due diligence on a property it is interested in acquiring where the kind and amount of contamination is not known. Secondly, the grant provides funding for creating a vision of what the end use for a Brownfield might be and integrating that vision into the overall community plan. Generally, an IPG incorporates Brownfield clean-up, community-building and economic development.

The Palouse Producers Brownfield site is a former bulk fuel facility and service station in the core of downtown Palouse on Main Street, adjacent to historic buildings and the Palouse River. Previous environmental investigations have revealed petroleum in the soil and groundwater. In 2009, the city was granted an IPG to further evaluate the site’s environmental conditions and investigate redevelopment opportunities.

In the summer of 2009, Palouse engaged an environmental consultant to begin work under the grant. The consultant’s work plan called for the project to be done in two phases. (Not to be confused with phase I and II environmental site assessments). Recently completed phase I consisted of an overall analysis of the community’s intrinsic assets, development trends within the community, opportunities for future development and how these components fit into a regulatory framework. The end result was an “existing conditions report” presented to the community at an October 2009 meeting attended by about 75 people.

Due to the emphasis of the IPG program on creating a consensus vision for redevelopment of a Brownfield site, community involvement is an important part of the project in Palouse. While creating the existing conditions report, the consultant engaged the community through a variety a means. Local high school students undertook research into historical records of the site, similar to that required for an environmental site investigation. Additionally, community members were interviewed about their vision for the site and how that vision might fit into long-term plans for downtown Palouse. The thriving proprietors of shops and boutiques in the area were consulted to ascertain how a vision for the downtown economy would complement the existing conditions.  All that information was incorporated into the first phase of the project.

Phase two of the project is just beginning and will proceed on two main tracks. On the technical side, the consultant will perform an in-depth on-site investigation to fill data gaps in an EPA Targeted Brownfield Assessment performed in 2008. As with most Brownfield sites, the nature and extent of the contamination will help determine its end use possibilities and position it for acquisition by the city. The chosen end use is anticipated to enhance the Palouse riverfront through improved connectivity with the downtown area, offering better public access and habitat restoration along the river.

The other track in this second phase of the project is at the heart of the “integrated planning” part of the IPG process: coupling economic analysis with a community vision to encourage momentum towards redevelopment.

Though the city’s vision for the site is a work in progress, City leaders consider their past successes in developing aspects of Main Street and the way it has developed on its own as the direction they would like to take. Over the years the city has been adept at finding grants and other support for downtown improvements, such as attractive street lights, a small park with public facilities, and storefront improvements that give Palouse an artistic, creative environment. The IPG work will bring together the experience of city leaders with local development with the broader regional experience of their consultant to create a professionally-guided vision for the future of the Brownfield site and the entire downtown.

Leaders anticipate that the additional assessment being done on the site, together with a solid vision for its reuse, will position Palouse to market the property for redevelopment that is consistent with the vision and end use determined by the citizens.

For more information on this project, contact:

Mayor Michael Echanove
Palouse City Hall
East 120 Main Street
P.O. Box 248
Palouse, WA 99161-0248
509-878-1811
echanove@palouse.com

Advance notice: “The Alaska Forum on the Environment (AFE) is a statewide gathering of environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaskan youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders. The diversity of attendees sets this conference apart from any other. The 2010 event will be our twelfth year providing a strong educational foundation for all Alaskans and a unique opportunity to interact with others on environmental issues and challenges.

Over 1,700 people attend AFE to learn more about the environment and meet other Alaskans that work in the environmental field. The Planning Committee includes representatives from the: Environmental Protection Agency, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Federal Aviation Administration, US Navy, Mineral Management Service, Department of the Interior, CH2M Hill, ConocoPhillips, Ecology & Environment and many others. The Forum provides an opportunity for State, local, Federal, military, private, and Native leaders and professionals to come together and discuss the latest projects, processes, and issues that affect us here in Alaska.”

Washington Brownfields Forum
Tuesday, February 23, 2010, Parametrix, Auburn, Washington

Topic: Regional Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Program – A transfer of development rights (TDR) program is a market-based mechanism that encourages the voluntary transfer of growth from places where a community would like to see less development, referred to as sending areas, to places where a community would like to see more development, referred to as receiving areas. The Regional Transfer of Development Rights Program is focused on four central Puget Sound counties (King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish), and the 71 cities within their boundaries.

Speakers: Ivan Miller, Puget Sound Regional Council

There is no charge to attend, but please RSVP at http://nebc.eroi.com/servlet/com.gcm.servlet.event.EventRegisterForm?commodityID=41681&command=cp&supplierID=781 or with Sue Moir (Sue@nebc.org). Forum activities are informal and open to all.

THE BIG DEAL: Atlanta 2010
March 23 & 24, 2010, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia

“Ready, Set, Revitalize: New Energy for Brownfields!” is the theme of the summit. The National Brownfield Association is offering “cutting-edge, thought-provoking presentations that will focus on the theme of energizing brownfield development.” Topics include:

• Why Brownfields Matter More than Ever: Mature Markets, Tight Capital, Surplus Property, Surplus Property Disposition, Sustainable Development
• Targeted Markets: Ports, Waterways, Transportation Networks, Landfills
• Clean Energy Incentives in Brownfield Redevelopment
• Funding Incentives in Brownfield Transactions: Stimulus/Recovery Act Impacts, Bankruptcy Workouts
• State Brownfields Programs: Who is Getting it Right and Why
• Risk-Based Corrective Action: Perspectives in Environmental Risk Analysis

Brownfields: Clean up from Start to Finish Course
March 24-26, 2010, EOS Alliance (NWETC) Headquarters, Seattle, Washington

Course Description: “This course provides a complete overview of the Brownfields process, from an introduction to Brownfields, all the way through to redevelopment. Participants will become versed in funding the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of Brownfields, as well as the intricacies involved in managing a Federal grant. Those taking the class will be introduced to the basic concepts of Federal Brownfields law and become familiar with such terms as Bonafide Prospective Purchaser, All Appropriate Inquiry, etc. This course will delve into effective assessment techniques, will provide conceptual knowledge of current remediation practices, and the different approaches necessary to tackle rural and urban Brownfields sites. Attendees will be introduced to online resources useful in Brownfield grant writing and cleanup. Instruction will also consist of field trips to successful Brownfield remediation sites.”

Oregon Brownfields Conference & Awards Luncheon
April 6-7, 2010, Salem Conference Center, Salem, Oregon

Presented by Oregon Business Development Department, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, NEBC, and the Center for Creative Land Recycling, this conference will provide an exceptional learning and networking opportunity for those working to make contaminated properties economically viable for reuse. The Oregon Brownfields Conference is designed to target the educational needs of Brownfields practitioners – from long-time Brownfields professionals to those just entering into the process of transforming old contaminated sites into productive properties. The theme “Sleeves Rolled Up” reflects the hands-on, practical nature of this year’s event. More information soon. Download Oregon Brownfields Award Nomination Form. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Karen Homolac, 503-986-0191 or karen.homolac@state.or.us. For exhibit opportunities, contact Sue Moir, 503-227-6361 or sue@nebc.org.

Brownfield planning begins with an understanding of a property’s economic potential, existing environmental conditions, and a vision for redevelopment. The State of Alaska has substantial properties, facilities and structures whose resources are not fully realized because environmental conditions prevent their safe use or leasing. Without timely assessment and upkeep, these assets can fall into a state of disrepair.

During the past five years, staff in the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s Reuse and Redevelopment (R&R) program has worked closely with urban and rural communities in the state to conduct assessments of properties important to community development. The DEC Brownfield Assessment (DBA) is a service of the R&R program, modeled on the EPA’s Targeted Brownfield Assessment program. Alaska residents are encouraged to request DBA services for state-owned sites in their communities.

DBA work performed on many abandoned and blighted properties in the public realm is funded through the federal State and Tribal Response program. However, state-owned problem properties that affect the communities in which they reside are not eligible for this assistance. DEC applies a similar prioritization model to justify state subsidy for assessments and cleanups on sites for which its agencies are responsible. These are generally properties that the state either owns or has owned in the past.

The types of sites identified through this process include tank farms and fuel distribution centers, abandoned dumps, airport lease lots, former military sites, airport hangars and other structures, old, often Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, and housing and administrative buildings that supported them. These buildings often served as community centers and are important to future development.

The state may not have caused the contamination at some of these “Brownfield” sites, but the responsible party may not exist or be capable of taking action. Without action by the state, the site will continue to blight the community and pose an environmental threat, as well as prevent beneficial reuse or revitalization. Moreover, even if the state is not responsible for the contamination, at a state-owned site, it may still be liable for any environmental risks.

Developable land and building sites are at a premium in remote Alaska.  Moreover, most small communities eligible for assistance from this state program are not connected by roads.  Weather permitting, equipment and materials must be barged or flown in. The costs of installing the necessary infrastructure, water and sewer, are far greater than in rural communities elsewhere n the country. As the state often provides substantial funding to communities for these purposes, any program to recycle infrastructure is financially and environmentally important.

DEC’s R&R program coordinates with communities and other state agencies to identify candidate properties and use state resources to quantify the environmental concerns and ensure that the community is not at risk. This state involvement extends the federal program considerably.

Some of the potential benefits to the state and the communities include:

• Increased state revenues through new leases of revitalized properties
• New jobs by increasing local business development opportunities
• Decreased sprawl and greenspace depletion
• Reduced state liability for environmental conditions on state-owned properties
• Increased adjacent property values

Over the past five years, the level of state funding of R&R projects has been about 10 percent of the annual budget for assessments and cleanup on state-owned sites, exceeding $1 million since the program’s inception. This program is expected to expand.

DEC Brownfield Assessment Request Period Now Open

DEC’s DBA request period is now open, and will close on February 19, 2010. To download the request form and program fact sheet, visit DEC’s R&R website at: http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/csp/brownfields.htm. To request a form via fax or U.S. mail, or for more information, email Sonja.Benson@alaska.gov or call Sonja at (907) 451-2156.