Brownfield Primer, Part 1

Source: MagicValley.com
10/28/12

Part 1 - Today: A primer on how brownfields affect our local environment and the potential threats they pose to our water and air quality.

The problem came from a common chemical with an uncommon name: tetrachloroethylene.  It was a chemical dry cleaners in the 1980s loved — including Twin Falls-based Mr. A's. The clear liquid easily removed stains. But it has since been classified as an environmental pollutant by public health officials.
After years of lax regulation, the improperly disposed tetrachloroethylene began to permeate deeper into the soil, groundwater and air surrounding Mr. A's, according to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. By 2007, Mr. A’s was no longer in business but the damage that began underground was quickly rising to the surface.

Mr. A’s was now a brownfield.... MORE