Health Centers Find Opportunity in Brownfields

Source: NY Times, R. Kaysen

12/12/2012
 

The community health center rising on a derelict corner here in West Philadelphia never would have broken ground if not for the asbestos inside the building that was demolished to make way for it. Because of the contamination, Spectrum Health Services received a $2 million federal cleanup grant, the first piece of a $14 million construction financing puzzle.

When complete, the 36,000-square-foot building will provide a new home for a health center that has been squeezed into a deteriorating strip mall nearby for decades. It will also be the latest in a nationwide trend to replace contaminated tracts in distressed neighborhoods with health centers, in essence taking a potential source of health problems for a community and turning it into a place for health care. In recent years, health care facilities have been built on cleaned-up sites in Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Oregon and California.

"These health care providers are getting good at it," said Elizabeth Schilling, policy manager for Smart Growth America, an advocacy group. "They have internalized the idea that this is an opportunity for them."

Because these sites are contaminated, many qualify for government tax credits and grants, providing health centers with vital seed money to build. Community health centers, by design, exist to serve populations in poor neighborhoods, where there also tend to be available but contaminated properties like old gas stations, repair shops and industrial sites.

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Florida Cleanup: The TIF Advantage For Local, State and Federal Funding

Source: Brownfieldrenewal.com

by M. Florian and L. Diettrich

 

With state and federal resources for brownfield assessment and cleanup dollars becoming generally less available, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) presents a viable funding alternative for Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs) across Florida. 

 

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Brownfield Grant Proposals - Totals (as of 12/18/12)

Nationwide - 652 ARC Proposals Submitted

• Assessment - 414
• Cleanup - 181
• RLFs - 57

EPA Region 4 - 99 ARC Proposals Submitted

• Assessment - 76
• Cleanup - 21
• RLFs - 2

EPA Region 4 - Breakdown by State

• AL - 5
• FL - 2
• GA - 11
• KY - 8
• MS - 9
• NC - 21
• SC - 12
• TN - 8

Sustainable Communities "Creating Healthy Communities"

Dr. Howard Frumkin, director, National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discusses how the built environment affects our health and presents new models for sustainable development, including Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia, a former brownfield site.

Sustainable Communities "Creating Healthy Communities" from National Building Museum on Vimeo.

Brownfields 2013: Upload your Sites

Upload Your Brownfield Site onto the Conference Property Map 13 December 2012 | 14 REGISTER HERE  Will you be attending #Brownfields 2013? Take this quick survey to help organizers make this the best conference yet!  NOW LIVE: Brownfield Property Map Redevelopment opportunities start months before the conference, as hundreds of available properties go online in a user-friendly Google Maps-based listing service. This unique technology platform allows interested parties to preview properties prior to the conference to identify and seek out high-priority targets. Find and post information about available brownfield properties all over the nation. Regional Success Story: Investigation and Remediation This article is the first in a series of EPA Region 4 Brownfield Success Stories, a series designed to share what our hosts of Brownfield 2013 have learned in their brownfields redevelopment efforts Did You Know You Can Upload Your Bio? If you have been selected as a speaker for Brownfields 2013 your name and biography will be displayed on the conference website. Here are some simple instructions on uploading your biography to the website.

View past issues Questions? Email gsparks@icma.org (do not reply to this newsletter). The National Brownfields Conference is the largest event in the nation that focuses on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment. Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned professional, Brownfields 2013 will offer something for you! www.brownfieldsconference.org

EPA Revises Enforcement Guidance On Tenants Under CERCLA

EPA has issued revised enforcement Guidance regarding the treatment of tenants under the CERCLA Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser Provision.  This guidance discusses the potential applicability of the BFPP provision to tenants who lease contaminated or formerly contaminated properties, and how the Agency intends to exercise its enforcement discretion to treat certain tenants as BFPPs under CERCLA. This guidance supersedes the EPA's January 14,2009 guidance titled "Enforcement Discretion Guidance Regarding the Applicability of the Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser Definition in CERCLA § 101(40) to Tenants."

A LINK to the Guidance is found here.

Brownfields 2013 Update: Call for Posters!

Call for Poster Ideas! The National Brownfields 2013 Conference invites you to submit a poster that displays best practices and innovative ideas and technologies in environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment.  MORE

EPA Issues DRAFT Petroleum #Brownfield Action Plan

The Environmental Protection Agency released a draft of its report entitled "Petroleum #Brownfields 2013: Opportunities for Action" on December 11 outlining ongoing and potential new activities to redevelop petroleum-contaminated brownfields sites, including exploring how their reuse can address community needs for access to health care.  This report updates EPA's earlier 2008 Petroleum Brownfield Plan.

Through implementing the 2008 petroleum brownfields action plan and developing Petroleum Brownfields 2013: Opportunities for Action, EPA identified both challenges and opportunities for improvements we intend to achieve in the next three years. This plan is an outline of potential activities, and we want to hear from stakeholders to ensure the plan adapts to their needs over the course of its implementation. The 2013 plan builds on activities from the 2008 plan by identifying relevant actions and new opportunities where EPA might be able to provide support and leadership. Some of these actions will be implemented in the short term; others will require longer-term plans for staffing, funding, and project management. We will continue pursuing strong coordination and communication among petroleum brownfields stakeholders to achieve greater success in assessing, cleaning up, and sustainably reusing petroleum brownfield properties.

Here's a LINK to the draft Report.

#Brownfields Grant Recipients' Road Map to Understanding Quality Assurance Project Plans

#Brownfield Grant Recipients' Road Map to Understanding Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA 542-R-12-005). The U.S. EPA prepared this publication to help recipients of an EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant design and complete site assessment projects more efficiently and effectively by increasing their awareness and understanding of the importance of quality assurance (QA) in Brownfields site projects. The Road Map describes a general process for developing and using a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), while highlighting the benefits of a well-prepared QAPP and helping those responsible for the process to better understand and communicate with all parties involved (November 2012, 20 pages). View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

Options for a Strategy for the Economic Appraisal of Benefits of Contaminated Land Remediation - SP1006 (2012

This research project will develop a methodology for assessing benefits of remediation and allowing different sites to be compared. The design of the methodology needs to address economic impacts such as the impact on neighbouring house prices as well as practical issues such as incomplete knowledge of particular sites. View or download at:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=10259_FinalReport12134i2.pdf .

Brownfields 2013 - Exhibit Hall and Sponsorship Opportunities

Brownfields 2013, with more than 5,000 decision makers from the private sector, local, state and federal agencies, nonprofit and community groups, and academia is the largest national event focused on redeveloping brownfield properties and creating more sustainable communities.
Consider investing in Brownfields 2013 to increase your organization’s visibility and prestige among the nation’s leading redevelopment decision makers and showcase your services and products to business and industry representatives.

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Brownfields 2013: Looking for Region 4 Brownfields Success Stories

The Community Development Activities Subcommittee for Brownfields 2013 wants to showcase brownfields success stories from Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) to give conference participants a better understanding of the challenges and issues being tackled in our region. This is a chance to share what made your project successful.  MORE

EPA Grant Award Process Webinar

December 4, 2012, 2:00-3:00PM EST (19:00-20:00 GMT). EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment periodically hosts webinars for the EPA grants community. If you are interested in applying for EPA grants or are currently managing an EPA grant, please consider attending this webinar. The webinar will cover grants management topics, including: how to find and apply for grant opportunities; new FFATA reporting requirements; and preparing a proper budget detail. In addition, there will be a Q&A session during the second half of the webinar. For more information and to register, please email GAD_OGDWEB@epa.gov with "Webinar" in the subject line.

Citizen's Guide Series to Cleanup Technologies

EPA's Technology Innovation and Field Services Division has updated the Citizens Guides to Innovative Cleanup Technologies. This series of 22 two-page fact sheets is designed to help Remedial Project Managers and Community Involvement Coordinators explain the basics of innovative and conventional treatment technologies to the public. The following guides are now available, in English, at http://clu-in.org/products/citguide. Spanish versions will be available in 2013.

• A Citizen's Guide to Activated Carbon Treatment
• A Citizen's Guide to Air Stripping
• A Citizen's Guide to Bioremediation
• A Citizen's Guide to Capping
• A Citizen's Guide to Ecological Revitalization
• A Citizen's Guide to Evapotranspiration Covers
• A Citizen's Guide to Excavation of Contaminated Soil
• A Citizen's Guide to Fracturing for Site Cleanup
• A Citizen's Guide to Greener Cleanups
• A Citizen's Guide to Incineration
• A Citizen's Guide to In Situ Chemical Oxidation
• A Citizen's Guide to In Situ Chemical Reduction
• A Citizen's Guide to In Situ Thermal Treatment
• A Citizen's Guide to Monitored Natural Attenuation
• A Citizen's Guide to Permeable Reactive Barriers
• A Citizen's Guide to Phytoremediation
• A Citizen's Guide to Pump and Treat
• A Citizen's Guide to Soil Vapor Extraction and Air Sparging
• A Citizen's Guide to Solidification and Stabilization
• A Citizen's Guide to Thermal Desorption
• A Citizen's Guide to Vapor Intrusion Mitigation
• A Citizen's Guide to Vertical Engineered Barriers

WEBINAR: EPA's Priorities for Petroleum Brownfield Sites

The NALGEP Brownfield Communities Network is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Priorities for Petroleum Brownfields.

WEBINAR: EPA’s Priorities for Petroleum Brownfields

DATE: Tuesday, December 11, 2012

TIME: 2:00-3:15 p.m. EST

TO REGISTER: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/716913425

In fall 2008, the EPA published its Petroleum Brownfields Action Plan: Promoting Revitalization and Sustainability prepared by the Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) and the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR). EPA is currently going through the process to update the Action Plan in order to focus its resources on partnerships and connections that will leverage the most success in redevelopment of petroleum brownfields for healthy, vibrant communities.

Attendees will gain insight into trends for redevelopment that the EPA considers promising, and examples of specific projects that have successfully leveraged multiple funding sources to revitalize petroleum brownfields in systematic, sustainable ways. Attendees will also have the opportunity to provide input to EPA on its priorities for revitalizing petroleum brownfields.

Speakers will include:

• Robin Hughes Parker, EPA Office of Underground Storage Tanks
• Ann Carroll, EPA Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization

In addition to speakers from the EPA, the webinar will feature a petroleum brownfields case study, and reactions to the draft action plan by an expert panel of local governments, developers, and planners. To register for the webinar: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/716913425

For more information, contact Kristina Byrne at kbyrne@securityandsustainabilityforum.com or 202-714-3342

Transforming Brownfields in HealthFields

Source: BrownfieldRenewal.com, M. Ballogg

A brownfields-related movement, whose roots are arguably traced to one woman’s foresight and passion in 1997, is beginning to accelerate after years of grassroots and individual program efforts. In hindsight, the initiative that's been billed as “Transforming Brownfields to Healthfields,” makes perfect sense—take abandoned and blighted properties and, using coordinated funding and community-based mechanisms, turn them into thriving economic developments that also improve access to healthy lifestyle choices for all.

Willa Carson, a retired nurse, started simply enough in Clearwater, Fla., providing basic medical assistance to friends and neighbors who lacked health insurance and a means to travel the more than 10 miles to the nearest hospital. Shortly thereafter, beginning in two apartments, Carson founded the North Greenwood Health Resource Center in 1997. When the City of Clearwater designated the Greenwood area Brownfields Redevelopment Area in 1998, it was her vision to take an abandoned gas station site and turn it into the stand-alone facility now called Willa Carson Health & Wellness Center. 

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Hernando sees green in reclaiming 'brownfield' areas

Source: Commercial Appeal, H. Bailey
11/22/12

Hernando has selected the EarthCon consulting firmto manage the city's $400,000 "brownfield" grant for a community assessment of blighted but potentially viable sites for reclamation and fiscal contribution.

By identifying such locations now with the help of environmental experts, the city can target cleanup money more effectively, said Mayor Chip Johnson. It's the first step that will help Hernando get such grants later, said the mayor, who obtained approval of EarthCon at this week's meeting of aldermen.

"Now we can start negotiations with EarthCon on a service contract, and once we have that we can start the assessment process," said Shelly Johnstone, Hernando's community development director. "We'll also put together a brownfield advisory committee of people from across the community.

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#Brownfields 2013 Call for Posters

Call for Posters! The National Brownfields 2013 Conference invites you to submit a poster that displays best practices and innovative ideas and technologies in environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment.

USDA's Energy Web Site

In January 2012, USDA launched its Energy Web site (http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=ENERGY) .  The site
contains agricultural, economic, and social data on renewable energy to
assist stakeholders, public users, state and local government in
identifying opportunities, activities and USDA’s projects in renewable
energy.  The Energy Web information is available through several associated
online tools, such as USDA Energy Investment Maps, the Renewable Energy
Tool, Energy Matrix, Investment Projects Reports, as well as helpful state
links to energy resources within individual states.

Last week, USDA launched an updated version of the Energy Web site.  Thanks
to suggestions from their users this version 2.0 site will provide new
resources; new reporting features and the investment data is current thru
August 2012.  

Some of the enhanced features of USDA’s Energy Web include:

Energy Investment Maps:  The USDA Energy Investments Map contains
information regarding USDA programs that provide assistance to renewable
energy and energy efficiency projects. The maps display investment
location, type of energy investment, amount of assistance provided and the
administering USDA program. The energy investment data is summarized by
state, county and congressional districts to display total number of
investments and total dollar amounts obligated by USDA.  Recent
enhancements are: investment data has been updated to include fiscal year
2012 data, the map legend and data layer, previously designed to toggle
between two screens, were combined for easier operation and fast results.
The map description has placed in a separate pop up window “About this Map”
to visually enhance the Energy Investment map and also supports efficiency.

Energy Investment Report: (formerly named USDA Special Projects Report)
this page in the past provided information on three of USDA’s special
initiatives: investments in anaerobic digesters; flexible fuel pumps; and
wood to energy projects.  Enhancements: the new Investment Projects Report
page enables user access to all energy technologies data that are
associated with the Energy Investment Map.  The data can be sorted by
program, year of obligation, payment type, total dollar amounts and
state/county/district, providing various project details.  There are pie
charts, graphs and report listing to emphasize investment data.  Another
new feature is the ability to print screen reports, and the data can also
be exported in various formats.

Renewable Energy Tool:  The vision of the Tool is to identify assist
stakeholders identify “renewable energy opportunities” by providing  access
to agricultural, economic, social, and technical data and information
resources that are relevant to the evaluation of potential opportunities.
Recent enhancements include adding easy access links to a number of tools
available across USDA agencies with information “pop-ups” describing tool.

Next year’s enhancements for the mapping feature of the Renewable Energy
Tool will include types of data and information that is available include
but not be limited to: land use for producing biomass and energy crops,
cost to produce crops alternative crops, competition for biomass, fuel
stations, state and federal policy, USDA guidelines for and financial
assistance, and state and federal office locations for agriculture, energy,
environmental protection, and conservation. Initially the focus is
transportation fuels.

Brownfields 2013 Sponsorship Opportunites

Receive Valuable Exposure by Sponsoring Brownfields 2013  Build your organization’s brand awareness by sponsoring the National Brownfields 2013 Conference. This is the largest event in the nation, attracting over 5,000 stakeholders, that focuses on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment. Becoming a sponsor will showcase your organization’s dedication to this industry and increase your network of professionals and clients.

Storm moves deadline for Sibley Mill's bid for EPA funds

Source: Augusta Journal, R. Pavey
11/13

Hurricane Sandy has given the Augusta Canal Au­thority more time to prepare its newest application for a federal grant to continue environmental cleanup work at the vacant Sibley Mill.  “The deadline was originally Nov. 19, but due to storm problems in the Northeast it was extended to Dec. 3,” said Dayton Sherrouse, the authority’s executive director. The request for a $200,000 En­vironmental Protection Agen­cy Brownfields grant will be the authority’s third try for a share of the limited funds. “We hope the third time is the charm,” Sherrouse said. “It is a very competitive program with a lot of applicants.” The historic mill, purchased by the canal authority in 2010, is gradually being prepared for eventual redevelopment. The canal authority has helped maintain the site and operates the mill’s hydropower turbines, which generate revenue through the sale of electricity. Last year, even without the EPA grant, the authority financed $242,000 in remediation at the site, including removal of mercury residue, pesticides, old pipelines and caustic tanks once used in the textile processes.

MORE - http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2012-11-13/storm-moves-deadline-sibley-mills-bid-epa-funds

Jacksonville Florida's Revitalization Video

Groundworks USA Program

Lead Partners:  National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA), Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Program and Groundwork USA.

Program Goal(s):

·       Increase the capacity of communities to improve and care for their local environments themselves and improve access to parks, recreation and conserved natural resources.

·       Develop holistic community specific approaches to improving environmental health and community well being – physical improvements, education and job training, community leadership and civic engagement.

·       Transform vacant and derelict lands into community assets for conservation, recreation and economic development.

·       Raise the profile of urban environmental transformation as part of a comprehensive approach to smart growth strategies, community stabilization, and economic redevelopment.

Brief Description:  The Groundwork USA Initiative is a growing network of community ‘do-tanks’ for the environment called Groundwork Trusts.  Locally organized and controlled, each Groundwork Trust delivers projects and programs to address local environmental justice issues through a creative mix of professional staff, volunteers, partners and stakeholders, with funding from the public and private sector.  There are now 20 Groundwork USA pilot communities across the US; 19 Groundwork Trusts are established. The network is led by Groundwork USA, a national nonprofit working to increase the effectiveness of the local Trusts with information sharing, training, resource development, technical assistance and quality control.  For more information, www.groundworkusa.org

Program Design:  Beginning in 1997, the Network is designed to encourage information sharing, support, and collaborative thinking among established and developing Groundwork Trusts and the communities they serve. The NPS and EPA support the Network and establishment of GW Trusts through technical assistance (NPS) and seed funding (EPA).

Establishing a new Groundwork Trust is a multi-step competitive process and brings many public, private and community stakeholders to the table to build consensus on community assets and needs and the role for a GW Trust in their community to address those needs.  This diverse group, many who have not worked with each other before, forms a local Groundwork Steering Committee to work with the National Park Service to evaluate Groundwork for their community.  If in agreement, they apply to NPS for Groundwork USA Pilot Funding and Technical Assistance.  If their proposal is selected, they then work with NPS and Groundwork USA on in-depth feasibility study and launching strategy.  Upon completion, if the final decision is to establish the new GW Trust, NPS provides seed funding and technical assistance to help establish the new GW Trust in partnership with the local government and the partners on the Steering Committee.  The new Groundwork Trust also becomes part of the GW USA Network to draw on the expertise of the other GW Trusts and the Groundwork USA national office.

Target audience:  The focus is the community itself and their role in leading the environmental restoration of their own community.  To accomplish this, each GW Trust engages municipal government, business and civic leaders, foundations, churches, community organizations, nonprofits, residents and other stakeholders to build consensus and achieve results.  Engaging youth as leaders and doers is a high priority for all GW projects and programs.   

Role of the Community The community, integral to achieving success, leads the Groundwork Trust from establishing a steering committee and leading the feasibility process to governing the organization and directing and participating in projects and programs.

Results:   Groundwork USA Network Accomplishments in 2011

·       Environmental Improvements

o   # Trees planted:   2,026

o   # Shrubs, Bulbs, Perennials, Flats of vegetables and flowers planted:   9,823

o   # Acres of parks, openspace and derelict land improved:   286

o   Tons of CO2 reduced or sequestered:   7,014

o   # feet of urban river habitat cleaned up/conserved/restored:  86,789

·       Community Engagement

o   # Youth (<18 yrs old) actively engaged: 4,153

o   # Adults (> 18 yrs old) actively engaged:  22,619

o   # Volunteer hours:                135,249

o   # Partners engaged:   701

·       Integrating the Economy and Environment

o   # Person weeks of green job training provided:  1,228

o   # Jobs created or retained (fulltime, part time, summer):             281

o   Dollars leveraged (public and private sector and in-kind):    $10,757,949.00

·       See www.groundworkusa.org for stories and pictures of recent accomplishments            

Evaluation:  NPS and Groundwork USA evaluate work being accomplished by the GW Trusts and the benefits to the communities they serve through quarterly reports, annual performance measures, regular network conference calls and an annual conference and Youth Summit.  Each GW Trust is also evaluated after their first year of operation and assisted through a more intensive Peer Planning and Review (PAR) which includes site visits and interviews with staff, board members and partners. 

Funding and Technical Assistance:  In addition to RTCA technical assistance, each selected community receives significant staff assistance from Groundwork USA to develop their Groundwork Feasibility Study, which includes up to $5,000.00 for the local steering committee to support their work.  If the feasibility study is approved, $80,000.00 is provided by NPS-EPA to support the launch of the new GW Trust.  The funds are disbursed over a 12 – 18 month period based on the accomplishment of a work plan to launch the new GW Trust that was agreed to by NPS and the new Groundwork Trust.  Upon successful completion of the workplan to launch the new GW Trust and a 1 year operations  review by GW USA, the new Trust is eligible to receive up to $100,000 (in $25,000, $50,000 and $25,000 increments) over three years to build capacity and undertake more project and program work.

REMINDER: #Brownfields 2013 Registration!!!

Registration Now Open!! Brownfields 2013, Atlanta, GA, May 15-17, 2013. The conference, cosponsored by U.S. EPA, is the largest and most comprehensive event in the nation that focuses on issues important to community revitalization and the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties. For more information and to register, see http://www.brownfieldsconference.org .

Call for Phoenix Awards Applications – Deadline Extended to December 14, 2012

The Phoenix Awards inspire and recognize exemplary brownfield redevelopment and revitalization. Winning projects offer a fresh take on significant environmental issues, show innovation and demonstrate masterful community impact.  The entry period for applications has been extended to December 14, 2012 and the chances for recognition are even greater.  Two years of winners will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony at Brownfields 2013 on May 16, 2013 in Atlanta. The award program honors approximately 12-15 projects for each award year.

One winner is selected from each of EPA's 10 regions, and additional special winners are selected for community impact, sustainability or other special achievements. Projects are judged primarily upon:

• Magnitude of the problems and the project,
• Use of innovative techniques,
• Cooperative efforts of multiple parties,
• Positive impact on the environment, conservation or sustainability, and
• Project's general and long-term economic and/or social impacts on the community.

Any individual, group, company, organization, government body or agency is eligible to apply for a Phoenix Award. Applications may be submitted by an individual involved in the project or by a third party, with the primary project coordinator, e.g., property owner, environmental engineering firm, or project developer, or the entire project team listed as the applicant.

In order to be considered, the brownfield redevelopment project must have been completed by the date the application is submitted. Projects are deemed "complete" if the end-use is being conducted at the site.

Apply download the application now from www.phoenixawards.org.