Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #7 - "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore...."

Let's face it.  The Deep South, particularly the rural south, has only recently crashed landed into the Brownfield World.  Like Dorothy, the rural South's view of brownfield redevelopment has only (until recently) been black and white.  Brownfield redevelopment meant contamination and contamination meant a visit from the regulators and a visit from the regulators meant a roadblock to economic development.  It's the classic CERCLA "strict, joint, and several" liability philosophy.  Couple that with some remaining vestiges of the 1950's era suburban sprawl philosophy of "economic development" and you've got a recipe for indifference to this ZERO MATCH grant program.  Why? There's an abundance of greenfields, ripe for the creation of new industrial parks and suburban neighborhoods, all connected by shiny, new Parkways paid for by State Road Aid (DOT) funding.  Why bother with redevelopment when plain ole' development works?  Let's not forget, though, that New Jersey IS a Brownfield.  For that matter, so is Detroit; and we can't forget "Atlantanooga" with its challenges related to sprawl.  Is that really what we want down here in God's Country?

When Dorothy opened the door to the Land of OZ, everthing was in Technicolor.  When you open the door to Brownfield Redevelopment, everything is GREEN, Silver, Platinum, and Gold (LEED that is).  You're gonna have to embrace these ideas if you expect to have a competitive grant application.  You can get up to 5 points under the Ranking Criterion 4.c - Project Benefits-Environmental Benefits from Infrastructure Reuse/Sustainable Reuse (p. 31 of Assessment Grant Guidelines).  Here are some links to help you beef up this section of your proposal:

• http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy


• http://www.epa.gov/greenpower


• http://www.energystar.org


• http://www.gov/owm/water-efficiency/index.htm


• http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/water/index.htm


• http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6


• http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/const.cfm


• http://www.clu-in.org/download/remed/Green-Remediation-Primer.pdf


• http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/tools/tti_assess_cleanup.htm#construction


• http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel

Good Luck!

KY-Exploring Community Revitalization in Central Appalachia - 11/03/10

All too often, communities in Appalachia are faced with properties that cannot be redeveloped or reused due to real or perceived contamination. On Nov. 3, 2010, at the Greenbo State Resort Park in Greenup, Ky., the Kentucky Brownfield Program invites you to participate in a first-ever event to explore how federal, state and local programs, both governmental and nongovernmental, can work together to turn these properties into productive areas that can revitalize a community. Participants will enjoy a one-day event of interaction, engagement and active problem-solving. If you are passionate about your community and want to engage with others, please join us at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park. Registration is free and open to the public, however voluntary donations to support this effort and others like it are greatly appreciated. Check out the agenda for the event.

Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #6 - Linking Back to your Comprehensive Plan

It would be interesting to see (1) how many communities actually have a comprehensive master plan, (2) how many community leaders have fully read their comprehensive master plan, and (3) how many comprehensive master plans are collecting dust on a shelf somewhere?  Typically, the comprehensive plan involved charettes and/or community meetings to gather input from the citizens.  In fact, the "task forces", "focus groups", and committees that formed during the comprehensive planning efforts are perfect starts to developing a "Brownfield Resident Advisory Committee" (BRAC) for your self-sustaining Brownfield Program (More thoughts on "self-sustaining" in a blog after Oct. 15th deadline).  Also, hopefully, some positive, productive community leaders emerged during the comprehensive planning efforts.  Their energy and ideas will help sustain the brownfield revitalization effort.

Finally, READ the plan.  With your newly acquired knowledge of the concept of "brownfield redevelopment", you are better equipped to identify the areas needing assessment or cleanup assistance.  Often, the urban planners who developed the comprehensive plan don't use terms like "brownfield".  Look for key terms like "blight" or comments about the high level of un-leased commercial space in certain areas of town.  A quick drive in those areas may result in the identification of a number of closed dry cleaners, gas stations, pest control shops, or auto service shops.

Cite the good work that you've already done with your comprehensive planning efforts.  Get your urban planning consultant that generated the report to send it to you in a word processing format so you can do a little cutting/pasting.  If he/she is reluctant, remind him/her that the comprehensive plan may need updating to include a brownfield component.... His/her demeanor may then change.

Good Luck!

Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #5 - Tell the Story

For Brownfield Assessment or Cleanup Grants, the Four (4) Ranking Criteria and the maximum eligible points (Assessment/Cleanup) are:

•Community Need-20/15 points
•Project Description and Feasibility of Success-35/40 points
•Community Engagement and Partnerships-20/15 points
•Project Benefits-25/30 points

We'll break down each of these criteria in the coming weeks, but central to each of these criteria is YOUR STORY.  What?... my story, what are you talking about?  It's very simple.  Remember that EPA will likely receive over 700 proposals from throughout the United States.  Each of those will be reviewed by at least 3 individuals with further review from others (We'll talk about that later).  Needless to say, that is a lot of reviews.  All Assessment proposals will say something about Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs).  All proposals will say something about partnerships, and community engagement, and cite demographics, and jobs (or lack thereof), and blah, and blah, and blah.

What makes your proposal stand out? What makes your proposal memorable?  The bottom line is that people will be reviewing your proposal.  The numbers and percentages won't be plugged into an equation, resulting in a ranking.  There will be scoring, but the real winners have a story behind them.  It may center around water quality and recreation.  It may center around history and sense of place like this one from Kentucky:

• Letcher County is located in the “Heart of The Hills” in Southeastern Kentucky. Three of the Eastern United States’ major rivers -The Kentucky, The Cumberland, and The Big Sandy –have their headwaters in Letcher County. Even after Daniel Boone and other settlers made their way into this area in the 18thCentury, Letcher County remained largely isolated until the 20th Century when railroads reached into the hollows to extract the coal buried in the hills. Large corporations like US Steel and Consolidated Coal quickly built mining camps along the rail line and the first half of the 20th Century brought ten of thousands of immigrants to work the mines along with local farming families. This era is reflected in the film about country music singer Loretta Lynn, “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, which was filmed in Letcher County in the late 70s.


• The county’s communities developed in the bottoms alongside the headwaters streams due to steep topography that leaves limited flat land. 90% of Letcher County citizens live within 100 feet of a creek or stream and all of the county’s cities have been developed along waterways. The quality of the local environment has direct effects on nearly every citizen in Letcher County and over a million Kentuckians downstream. Some of Kentucky’s most pristine, Wild & Scenic streams are located in Letcher County. Unfortunately, some of state’s most degraded streams are also here and often closer to people’s daily lives than the pristine streams." - Special thanks to Letcher Co. and KYDEP's Amanda LeFevre

So, what's your story?  Haveyou involved the local Chamber of Commerce with developing your story.  Have you talked with citizens, community groups, church members, and local businesses to find out what makes your community so special?  Maybe it's time you did.  Good Luck!

Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #4 - Don't Re-invent the Wheel

If you've never applied before, your biggest hurdle is starting from scratch.  Having a template or a "go-by" is ideal.  If a consultant offers to write your grant for you, ask him/her for the Word version, not the hard copy.  He/She may be reluctant, but it couldn't hurt.  Another option is to contact a successful grant applicant from last year.  They will likely be much more willing to share since they likely won't be competing against you this year.... Next year may be a whole nutha story.

EPA has created a superb online tool for identifying contacts at communities that have won in the past.  Start with the EPA Grant Fact Sheet Search (http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/index.cfm ).  I'd start with searching within your own state or EPA Region over the past two years.  You can export information in Excel and you can click on the specific grant recipient which will link you to the Fact Sheet for that particular recipient.  For the Southern Brownfield Grantees in 2009, the list and links are as follows:

Grant Recipient Name	State/Territory	Grant Type
Alabama Department of Environmental Management	AL	A
Anderson County (South Carolina)	SC	C
Arlington, City of	TX	A
Atlanta, City of	GA	A
Baton Rouge, City of, and Parish of East Baton Rouge	LA	A
Brunswick, City of (Georgia)	GA	A
Casselberry, City of	FL	A
Charlotte, City of	NC	A
Chattanooga, City of	TN	C
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency	TN	A
Clay County Development Authority	FL	A
Community Development & Improvement Corporation	SC	JT
Community Development Support Association, Inc.	OK	C
Crab Orchard, City of	KY	C
Daytona Beach, City of	FL	A
Durham, City of	NC	JT
Escambia County	FL	A
Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency	FL	C
Freshwater Land Trust	AL	A
Gadsden County	FL	A
Greenville, City of (Texas)	TX	A
Hartsville, City of	SC	A
Irving, City of	TX	A
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government	KY	A
Limitless Vistas, Inc.	LA	JT
Luna County	NM	A
McKinney, City of	TX	A
Miami, City of	FL	C
Millen, City of	GA	C
New Mexico Environment Department	NM	A
Newport, City of (Kentucky)	KY	A
Northern Kentucky Area Development District	KY	A
Oklahoma City Housing Authority	OK	C
Oklahoma City, City of	OK	A
Owensboro, City of	KY	A
Pelzer, Town of	SC	A
Saltillo, City of	TN	A
Shelby County	TN	A
South Daytona, City of	FL	A
Sulphur Springs, City of	TX	C
Texarkana, City of (Texas)	TX	A
Wayne County (North Carolina)	NC	A
West Central Texas Council of Governments	TX	A
Whiteville, City of	NC	A
Williamsburg County	SC	A
Wilson, City of	NC	A

Some of these successful grantees may be willing to share a copy of their proposal from last year.  While some of the grant guidelines have changed, they have remained the same for the most part of the past year and these successful proposals would be good templates/examples to draw from.  Every community is different, but having a Word Template to start from at least gives you a framework for getting some momentum.

Grant Recipient Name	State/Territory	Grant Type
Alabama Department of Environmental Management	AL	Assessment
Anderson County (South Carolina)	SC	Cleanup
Arlington, City of	TX	Assessment
Atlanta, City of	GA	Assessment
Baton Rouge, City of, and Parish of East Baton Rouge	LA	Assessment
Brunswick, City of (Georgia)	GA	Assessment
Casselberry, City of	FL	Assessment
Charlotte, City of	NC	Assessment
Chattanooga, City of	TN	Cleanup
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency	TN	Assessment
Clay County Development Authority	FL	Assessment
Community Development & Improvement Corporation	SC	Job Training
Community Development Support Association, Inc.	OK	Cleanup
Crab Orchard, City of	KY	Cleanup
Daytona Beach, City of	FL	Assessment
Durham, City of	NC	Job Training
Escambia County	FL	Assessment
Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency	FL	Cleanup
Freshwater Land Trust	AL	Assessment
Gadsden County	FL	Assessment
Greenville, City of (Texas)	TX	Assessment
Hartsville, City of	SC	Assessment
Irving, City of	TX	Assessment
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government	KY	Assessment
Limitless Vistas, Inc.	LA	Job Training
Luna County	NM	Assessment
McKinney, City of	TX	Assessment
Miami, City of	FL	Cleanup
Millen, City of	GA	Cleanup
New Mexico Environment Department	NM	Assessment
Newport, City of (Kentucky)	KY	Assessment
Northern Kentucky Area Development District	KY	Assessment
Oklahoma City Housing Authority	OK	Cleanup
Oklahoma City, City of	OK	Assessment
Owensboro, City of	KY	Assessment
Pelzer, Town of	SC	Assessment
Saltillo, City of	TN	Assessment
Shelby County	TN	Assessment
South Daytona, City of	FL	Assessment
Sulphur Springs, City of	TX	Cleanup
Texarkana, City of (Texas)	TX	Assessment
Wayne County (North Carolina)	NC	Assessment
West Central Texas Council of Governments	TX	Assessment
Whiteville, City of	NC	Assessment
Williamsburg County	SC	Assessment
Wilson, City of	NC	Assessment

Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #3 - TAB EZ Online Grant Writing Tool

Technical Assistance to Brownfields communities (TAB) easy brownfields grant application (EZ) software program

TAB EZ is a grant writing tool to be used for preparation of EPA brownfields grant proposals. Currently, TAB EZ only addresses assessment and cleanup grants; RLF grant proposal outlines may be added at a later date.

What TAB EZ can do:

TAB EZ provides a framework for your proposal and provides strategies and links to reduce time in writing the proposal.

What TAB EZ can not do:

TAB EZ can not write a specific and compelling request for Brownfield grant funding for you. It’s your proposal and you need to incorporate your ideas and approaches!

Using this tool is not a substitute for reading the grant guidelines!

While we put a lot of information from the guidelines into TAB EZ, there is also information we did not include. Please read the guidelines at the EPA brownfields web page. Also, a copy of the guideliens can be found in TAB EZ under "Resources".

Register prior to use

While the use of TAB EZ is free, you must be a registered user  to prepare a grant application via TAB EZ.  Please register by clicking on "Register" in the upper right hand corner of the TAB EZ window at the following web page (http://www.tabez.org)

Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #2 - Start Writing it YESTERDAY!!!

The narrative proposal includes all applicable responses to threshold criteria (see section III.B and C) and responses to all ranking criteria (see section V.B). The narrative proposal shall not exceed 18 pages. Any pages submitted over the page limit will not be evaluated. The narrative proposal must be clear, concise, and specifically address all of the applicable threshold and ranking criteria. Responses to the criteria must include the criteria number and title but need not restate the entire text of the criteria. Proposals must provide sufficient detail to allow for an evaluation of the merits of the proposal. Factual information about your proposed project and community must be provided. Do not include discussions of broad principles that are not specific to the proposed work or project covered by your proposal.

If you haven't started, you'll need help.  Some Environmental Consultants will offer to help "pro bono" so to speak as long as they get a fair shake when it comes time to consider consulting firms for contracts.  Obviously, you cannot and should not guarantee a contract.  It's wrong and unethical.  There are (and I mean this with sincerity) consulting firms that want to see brownfield grant success in your community.  The "buzz" and prestige that comes with a Brownfield Grant award only helps his/her consulting firm when it comes to greater opportunities for redevelopment on down the road.  Think of the Brownfield Grant as seed money for redeveloping your community....  and did I mention that an Assessment Grant has a ZERO match requirement?  Who says there aren't any free lunches?  You just gotta apply.

Brownfield Grant Writing Tip #1 - Call Your State Brownfield Coordinator TODAY

One of the THRESHOLD Criteria is an Acknowledgment Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority.  You should go ahead now and contact the State Brownfield Coordinator for a number of reasons.  First, let him/her know that you will be asking for an acknowledgment letter.  He/she will likely ask you a couple of things.  Second, he/she may offer to review your proposal.  Please take him/her up on the offer.  These folks deal with brownfield projects daily and may even be able to help you "tell your story" (Tip #2).  Finally, there may be some synergy between what you have planned and what the State Environmental Agency is currently doing or plans to do in your area.  For instance, there's been a push to integrate waste and water programs within EPA.  Some of the EPA Brownfield Grant reviewers may be watershed folks.  Tying into "Partnership" opportunities and synergy will only strengthen your proposal.  Good Luck!

THRESHOLD CRITERIA FROM GUIDANCE REGARDING STATE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

For an applicant other than a state or tribal environmental authority, attach a current letter from the appropriate state or tribal environmental authority acknowledging that the applicant plans to conduct assessment activities and is planning to apply for federal grant funds. Failure to submit this letter will result in the rejection of the proposal for further consideration. Letters regarding proposals from prior years are not acceptable. If you are applying for multiple types of grant program activities, you need to receive only one letter acknowledging the relevant grant activities. However, you must provide a copy of this letter as an attachment to each proposal. Please note that general correspondence and documents evidencing state involvement with the project (i.e., state enforcement orders or state notice letters) are not acceptable. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide advance notice to the appropriate state or tribal environmental authority to allow adequate time for you to obtain the acknowledgment letter and attach it to your proposal.

Summit on the Future of Gulf to Explore Impact on Economy & People of Mississippi Coast

The Mississippi Summit on the Future of the Gulf of Mexico will be held Sept. 23, 2010, at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention. The summit is a result of the leadership of Dr. Hank Bounds, Commissioner of the Institutions of Higher Learning, and is being coordinated by IHL. There will be two sessions. The morning session "Our Economy, Our People, Our Gulf" and will include keynotes addresses from Gov. Haley Barbour and executives from BP.

The afternoon session "The Spill, The Science, The Future" will include breakouts on several topics including ecosystem impact, human health impact, alternative/future energy sources and more. The Mississippi Economic Council is among state, regional and local organizations sponsoring the event.

Information on registration will be available soon at the Mississippi Economic Council web site.



FY2011 EPA Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grant Guidelines - FINALIZED - DUE OCTOBER 15, 2010

These grants may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). Opportunities for funding are as follows: Brownfields Assessment Grants (each funded up to $200,000 over three years; coalitions are funded up to $1,000,000 over three years), Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants (each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years) and Brownfields Cleanup Grants (each funded up to $200,000 over three years). The proposal deadline is October 15, 2010.

• FY11 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Grants (PDF) (51 pp, 348K)


• FY11 Guidelines for Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants (PDF) (46 pp, 301K)


• FY11 Guidelines for Brownfields Cleanup Grants (PDF) (54 pp, 348K)


• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) (40 pp, 500K)

'Tis the Season for Brownfield Grant Writing Workshops

Workshops in EPA Region 4

August 24, 2010

• Tupelo, Mississippi - Brownfield Redevelopment Grant Writing Workshop
  NE Mississippi Development Foundation Conference Room300  - W. Main Street10:00 am - 2:00 pm (Lunch Provided)Contact: jspencer@earthcon.com by (August 20, 2010)

Workshops in EPA Region 6

August 18, 2010

• Baton Rouge, Louisiana - Grant Writing Workshop (PDF, Flyer, 1 pg., 413 KB)


• Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) - Oliver Pollock Room (C 111)602 N 5th St.9:00 am - 3:00 pmLocal Contact: Roger Gingles, LDEQ, 225-219-3188

August 24, 2010

• Abilene, Texas - Brownfields 101 & Condensed Grant Writing Workshop (PDF, Agenda, 1 pg.,
  20 KB) West Central Texas Council of Governments
  3650 Loop 322Abilene, TX 796028:30 am - 4:00 pm
  
  Local Contact: Wendy Patterson, WCTCOG, wpatterson@wctcog.org, 325-672-1197

August 25, 2010

• Enid, Oklahoma - Brownfields 101 and Grant Writing Workshop (PDF, Agenda, 1 pg., 18KB)
  City of Enid - Enid Administrative Building Council Chamber401 W. Owen K. Garriott9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  
  Local Contact: Andrie Winters, City of Enid, 580-616-7247

August 31, 2010

• Brownfields 101 and Grant Writing Webinar
  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm - US EPA Region 61445 Ross Ave.Arkansas Room, 12th Floor (Check in on 7th Floor)
  
  Dallas, Texas
  
  To register and join Webinar
  
  To access audio by phone: 866-299-3188, Conference Code: 214.665.6755#

The Region 6 Brownfields Team expects to host either a webinar or conference call each Tuesday and Thursday in September, beginning September 2. Topics will vary at each session which will provide opportunities to ask questions about the Brownfields Program and FY2011 Grant Competition. Details, times and call in information to be determined.

September 1, 2010

• Dallas, Texas - Grant Writing Workshop (PDF, 1 pp., 1.4 MB)
  Hampton-Illinois Branch Library - 2951 South Hampton Road9:00 am - 5:00 pmContact: Lori Trulson, City of Dallas, 214-671-8967


• San Antonio, Texas - Grant Writing Workshop
  1:00 pm - 4:00 pm -Location to be determined (City of San Antonio offices)

September 16, 2010

• Ruidoso, New Mexico - Brownfield 101 (Grant Writing Workshop to follow next day)
  Time and Location to be determined

September 17, 2010

• Ruidoso, New Mexico - Grant Writing Workshop
  
  Time and Location to be determined
  
  

Workshop Slides
Brownfields 101 (PDF, 39 slides, 3.7 MB)

Brownfields Grant Writing Workshop (PDF, 89 slides, 2.9 MB)

Workforce Development and Job Training for Non-Profits (PDF, 20 slides, 410 KB)

Austin, TX - Crestview Transit Station Redevelopment

[caption id="attachment_208" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Austin Commuter Rail"][/caption]

AUSTIN – Crestview Station in Austin was a former chemical
research facility that processed components for soaps, foams and glues from 1949 until 2005. The property was identified as a prime location for a high-density, mixed use project and transit-oriented development. In 2005, the property applied to Texas’ Voluntary Cleanup Program to facilitate the assessment and cleanup of known and suspected areas where waste materials were buried. Cleanup consisted of the excavation and disposal of approximately 20,000 cubic yards of buried waste products and impacted soils, and ground water monitoring and an institutional control addressed a benzene plume in one small area of the property. The 71-acre Crestview Station

[caption id="attachment_209" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Crestview Station redevelopment project and the adjacent Capitol Metro rail stop."][/caption]

redevelopment project includes over 500 single-family homes, 600 apartments, recreational fields, and 150,000 square feet of retail and office space built around a Capitol Metro rail stop. Property values have increased significantly and several new jobs were created as a result of the redevelopment. Crestview Station is a key component to the city’s plan to connect Austin through future expansion of the public transportation system.

Oxford, MS - Yoknapatawpha Arts Council Brownfield Project

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council working with community groups is tackling the reuse of an industrial space in to a community art space. The project calls for transforming a 1928 industrial building into a public green space and community center to provide access to the arts to rural Mississippians. The green space will provide a public park while the building is transformed from an industrial site into a space of educational programs, free art, and classes. The goal is to clean and transform the empty lot into a green space with art. Remove the industrial equipment and clean the building for use as a community space for the arts. Renovate the space to provide classrooms, gallery space, and performance space for local artists and community residents to participate in the arts.

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council has been selected as a finalist for a $20,000 award in the 50 States for Good program sponsored by  Tom's of Maine.  Tom's of Maine receives thousands of submissions for this program.  They have selected just 41 groups to consider as finalists.  The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council's project to renovate the Powerhouse Community Arts Center is the only organization in Mississippi that was selected.

BANKING COMMITTEE PASSES DODD’S LIVABLE COMMUNITIES ACT

On August 3rd, the Senate Banking Committee passed Chairman Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) Livable Communities Act (S. 1619) to improve the coordination between our housing, community development, transportation, energy, and environmental policies to help create better places to live, work and raise families.  The bill will promote sustainable development and enable communities to cut traffic congestion; reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil consumption; protect farmland and green spaces; revitalize existing Main Streets and urban centers; spur economic development; and create more affordable housing.

“The needs of our citizens are evolving, and the way we plan for the future must evolve as well. This legislation is a significant step in that evolution,” Dodd stated at today’s hearing.

“Workers across the nation are living farther away from their jobs and commuting longer distances. Our roadways are ever more crowded, and this strains our infrastructure. Farmland and open spaces are disappearing, and the impact on the environment from the large numbers of cars on the road is adding significantly to the problems of oil dependence and climate change.

“With our population expected to grow by over 150 million people between 2000 and 2050, it is clear that our current path is unsustainable.  The Livable Communities Act before us represents a comprehensive and flexible approach to the diverse issues facing communities.

“This legislation provides for planning and capital grants so that regions can coordinate transportation, housing, and community development policies to reduce traffic congestion, generate economic growth, create and preserve affordable housing, and meet environmental and energy goals.

“This bill is about helping our communities meet vital future needs, in a flexible, fiscally responsible and environmentally sustainable way, while also increasing transportation and housing choices for our citizens.”

Modeled after the Community Regeneration, Sustainability, and Innovation Act (H.R. 932/S. 453), the amendment authorizes $20 million annually for four years to cities and regions challenged with large-scale employment and population loss and chronic property vacancy and abandonment.  More information can be found on the Banking Committee's press release.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish"

Who would have thought that King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, was also a Brownfield Expert?   You could also argue that Nehemiah should have won the first Phoenix Award for rebuilding the wall, but that's a blog for another day.  I've always found Proverbs to be a superb source of practical wisdom dealing with the art of living.  In Proverbs 29:18, Solomon stresses the importance of Vision.  You would be surprised at the number of environmental projects and assessments undertaken by well-intentioned leaders who lack vision for the project.  With over 3.5 million square miles of land, the United States has plenty of space to poke holes.  Narrow that area down to the jurisdiction of a typical southern mayor, and I'm still boggled by their rationale (or lack thereof) for conducting Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs).  My first question has always been, "Why?"

1. Why are you conducting an ESA at that location?


2. Why aren't you conducting ESAs in the areas with the greatest potential for redevelopment?


3. Why aren't you connecting the dots between the locations for the ESAs, brownfields, and your City's comprehensive plan?

Could it be that there is a lack of vision?  Kasim Reed, mayor of Atlanta, GA and Brian Leary, President and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc. are two individuals that share a vision for their community.  As Brian Leary states in this video about the Atlanta Beltline Project, "the Beltline is really the synthesis of everything that's good when it comes to the environment, transportation, affordable housing, health, walkability, and access."  With the courage to think bigger than just Phase Is and Phase IIs and the vision to see the connection (or synthesis) of all of the issues that impact their community's quality of life, Leary and Mayor Reed have created an environment of positive, tangible change.

So, what is the vision for your community?  If you don't know, maybe you should find out.  In the coming weeks, Southern Brownfield Report will explore the importance of engaging with the community in search of the community vision.

Jackson, MS - Tougaloo College Seminar, Aug. 20-21

On August 21st, Tougaloo College, in Jackson, Mississippi, will host a session entitled "Economic Development, Transportation, Housing and Community Development" as part of the Tougaloo College Community Leaders Institute, sponsored by the Medical University of South Carolina - Southeastern VIEW, City of Jackson, US Department of Energy and Tougaloo College.  The purpose of the Institute is to reinforce this principle and to emphasize the unique relationship between environmental protection, human health, environmental justice and economic development as an essential part of community development.   The session will include a discussion on brownfield opportunities and will focus on creating a plan to stimulate the retention, expansion and attraction of businesses/economic development to the community.  Among the speakers are:

• Honorable Harold Mitchell, State Representative, South Carolina House of Representatives, Thirty-first District, Director of Regenesis, Spartanburg, SC,


• Trey Hess, MS Brownfield Program Coordinator for the MS Department of Environmental Quality


• Dr. Glenda Glover, Dean of School of Business, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS


• Ms. Trina George, Mississippi Director for Rural Development, USDA, Jackson, MS (Invited)


• Dr. John Perkins, Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development, Jackson, MS (Invited)


• Mr. Hollis Watkins, Chairman, Southern Echo, Jackson, MS (Invited)


• Mr. Byron C. Marshall, Chief Administrative Officer, Richmond, VA

Registration is free and a brochure/registration form is available at: http://www.tougaloo.edu/files/cli-2010.pdf
//

Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities

ICMA has recently published "Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities."  This publication is designed to provide rural decision-makers with a resource for balancing competing goals while creating more vibrant, sustainable communities. It is intended to show how smart growth approaches can be adapted and applied in the rural context, particularly in times of change. Following a brief discussion of key issues facing different types of rural communities and how smart growth is perceived in rural environments, the majority of this publication addresses how to put smart growth into practice in rural communities. This third section of this publication is framed around three key goals, which can help a community pursue its vision for accommodating and attracting sensible growth in the future, while maintaining and enhancing its rural character and quality of life.

The three goals are:

1. Support the rural landscape by creating an economic climate that enhances the viability of working lands and conserves natural lands;


2. Help existing places thrive by taking care of assets and investments such as downtowns, Main Streets, existing infrastructure, and places that the community values; and


3. Create great new places by building vibrant, enduring neighborhoods and communities that people, especially young people, don’t want to leave.*

*Excerpt from the Introduction

Senate Panels Back Federal Grants For Sustainable Communities

CQ (8/4, Carter) reports that the Senate, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee on Tuesday backed a bill (S 1619) that "would establish within the Department of Housing and Urban Development an office to develop initiatives to help urban, suburban, and rural communities plan for and create affordable places to live and work." The bill "is about helping our communities meet vital future needs, in a flexible, fiscally responsible and environmentally sustainable way, while also increasing transportation and housing choices for our citizens,'" said committee chairman and bill "sponsor" Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT).

On August 6th, 2009, S. 1619 was introduced by Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut. S. 1619 would facilitate and improve the coordination of housing, community development, transportation, energy and environmental policy across policy areas which have been traditionally separated. The bill seeks to encourage regional planning across jurisdictions and provide for energy efficient housing options and transportation systems which help create sustainable communities. Further, S. 1619 would provide grant funding for local governments from FY 2010 to FY 2013 to support these efforts.

S. 1619 would establish in the executive branch of the federal government an independent Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities. This council would establish a grant funding program which would make comprehensive Planning Grants and Sustainability Challenge Grants to local governments working in partnership with other local governments or with a metropolitan or rural planning organization, a regional council or their respective states to support the development of sustainable communities.
S. 1619 proposes $300 million in Planning Grants which would support:

1. Local projects to coordinate land use, transportation and infrastructure planning processes across jurisdictions;


2. Creation of regional partnerships for developing and implementing a comprehensive regional plan for sustainable development (i.e. Smart Growth efforts);


3. Conducting or updating housing, infrastructure, transportation, energy and environmental assessments to determine regional needs and promote sustainable development;


4. The development or updating of existing regional plans;


5. The implementation of local zoning or other code changes necessary to implement comprehensive regional plans which promote sustainable development.

Grants would require a 20% local match and for Sonoma County the maximum eligible funding would be $1.5 million.  S. 1619 also proposes $3.75 billion for Sustainability Challenge Grants which would:

1. Promote integrated transportation, housing, energy, and economic development activities carried out across policyand governmental jurisdictions;


2. Promote sustainable and location-efficient development (i.e. transit-oriented development or "Smart growth" efforts;


3. Implement projects identified in a comprehensive regional plan.

Challenge Grants would also require a 20% local match.  S. 1619 is currently in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and is expected to be reviewed in Committee later this fall. The National Associations of Counties has already taken a position of support.

Loews Atlanta Hotel Redevelopment

[caption id="attachment_196" align="alignright" width="226" caption="The Loews Atlanta Hotel, the anchor of the 12th and Midtown mixed-use redevelopment project"][/caption]

ATLANTA - Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, the Loews Atlanta Hotel opened April 1, 2010 as the anchor of the 12th and
Midtown urban mixed-use development project. The property
underwent environmental investigation through Georgia’s Section
128(a) Response Program and was certified to be in compliance
with residential risk reduction standards. The $1.2 billion 12th and
Midtown project was assembled from numerous individual parcels,
many of which are also enrolled in Georgia’s Brownfields Program.
According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, opening of the Loews
Atlanta Hotel created 220 jobs. Loews Atlanta Hotel is within walking
distance to many of the city’s Fortune 500 companies, leading law
firms and world-renowned cultural venues including the Woodruff
Arts Center, the High Museum of Art, the Fox Theatre, Atlanta
Botanical Gardens and Piedmont Park. Loews Atlanta Hotel features
414 guest rooms, more than 25,000 square feet of meeting space,
and a spa and fitness center.